Digimon Frontier As The World Ends Book 1
by AguaGirl
Summary: Two years after the children returned to the Real World, Takuya and Junpei are called back to the Digital World. However they are with a new Digi-Destined, Ren Luvilia. With the help of the new digi-destined, can they figure out the chess game of the Digital World? Pairings May Vary. Rated T for the later chapters.
1. A New Start, Takuya Returns

As dawn breaks over Tokyo, Japan, a young girl awkens to beeping noise that sounded like her cell phone. Rolling out of the covers, the coffe haired girl hit the floor with a thud. The sound reverberated around the small room, making the room feel empty. "It's time to see old faces again, Luvilia-San."A female dignified voice seemingly from nowhere announced.

"L-luvilia-San?"The girl whispers, tilting her head. _How does she know my name?_

"Luvilia, Ren-San, destiny awaits you."The voice informs, and then seemingly drown out by static. _Good Luck, Prophet._

Instructions appeared on the screen, taking place of any other image configured on the screen. 'Shibuya Station, 05:35, elevator will lead you to your train, and then to The Digital World.' Knowing that it was only 05:05, and that she lived close to Shibuya Station, Ren was able to somewhat gather herself before heading out. She shufled through a clothes pile, obviously searching for something important.

Under a bright green top, a grey, long arm gaurd lay on the top of the rest of the clothes. Slipping it on her arm, Ren fingered a long white scar on her arm. Tears welled up in her hazel eyes, but she blinked them away quickly, returning to an emotionless state. _Not today. No tears. _Leaving her home, she grabbed a canvas bag that sat on a counter in the small apartment's kitchen. Ren didn't have the time to check what was in there, nor did she know. This was her wild card.

* * *

><p>The train station was packed to the max with an arange of bussiness workers and factory men and women. Ren seemed out of place, a small teenager trying to run through a station packed with adults.<p>

The elevator door-and Ren's chances at discovering her destiny-were becoming smaller by the second. As fast as her long leg could take her, Ren had to jump to squeeze through the doors before they slammed shut.

"Ren-Kun?"A boy with extremely spiky, red hair inquires. He had been standing there for a long while, humming an old tune.

Ren has to think for a moment. She was very unfamiliar with the Japanese Honorifics-being mostly Hispanic American. Her emotion becomes non-existant when she realizes what that means. "I am not a boy."She spits.

Junpei becomes scarlet when he realizes his mistake,"I'm sorry, Ren-Chan."He half-way bows to her.

"I am not cute either."She scowls, turning to the other side of the elevator. She notices another evevator plumiting downwards, with a figure standing in confusion. _There's more than us two?_

* * *

><p>In the roaring train, Takuya watched the darkness in the window fly by. He didn't know who was in the other cars of the train, though he had a good guees. Izumi, Kouji, Kouichi, Junpei, andor Tomoki. It was going to be another adventure with his friends. Takuya was easily the most excited teenage boy in the world-or at least Tokyo. Going back to the Digital Wolrd and seeing all of the digimons he met the first time around. But he was also nervous. Nervous about what could be threatening the Digital World. Was it Lucemon? Or worse? _What could be worse than that?_

The door in the back of the car began to slowly slide open, and Takuya perks up,"Hey!"He exclaimes hapily. The door finally opened all the way, revealing a girl with brownish-black, wavy hair, a pale blue tank top, and spandex shorts. "Who are you?"

"Luvilia, Ren."She answers flatly. She acted as if she held no emotion.

"Kanbara, Takuya."He replies with a goofy smile. Ren's aloofness was a bit unnerving, but Takuya figured she would just have to warm up to him and the rest of the Digi-Destined. Which sparked some intrest in his mind. _Why is this girl coming to the Digital World._

"Where are we going, Takuya-San?"Ren questions, turning her head to the darkness they were passing by. A pair of red eyes lit up in the darkness, but by the time she noticed that they were there, they seemingly vanished. _What was that!?_

Takuya had noticed it too, but wasn't as afraid as Ren was. He figured it was just a little trick of the lighting, or something along those lines. _But what light was there to trick?_

"We're going to the Digital World."Takuya explains, giving Ren a cocky grin.

She was unnerved by his grin, but continued on without a fault. She stayed composed and cold, no trace of any emotion on her face. "That's what my message said. But what's this about 'Familiar Faces'?"

"Familiar Faces?"Takuya repeats,"I think your message got mixed up with mine."He explained, thinking that the message implied his old friends.

Ren shakes her head,"The woman who told me to come here... She said my name. It couldn't have been a mix up."She began to stare at the window. _Who or what is the familiar face?_

* * *

><p><em><em>After what seems like forever in scilence, the train rapidly begins to slow down, throwing Ren into a wall. She lay still for a moment, grabbing onto a bar above her head to make sure she didn't go flying again. When the lights flashed for a moment, a shadowed figure stood in front of her as if to figure what to do with Ren. When the figure disappears, Ren changes. What is there is a red haired, dark sinned, trident weilding warrioress, in an outfit of all blues and greens. For a second she opens her eyes, instead of her hazel eyes, she had bright grey eyes.

The aura is only there for a second, and Takuya knew that this is what Ren would spirit evolve into. There was no doubt in his mind. But why Ren? Why this random girl? Was it luck of the draw like last time? _Or is it something else?_

When Ren stands, she notices the continents of her bag scattered on the floor. She scurries to pick everything up, and then notices something glowing on the floor. Looking at it for a moment, she realizes it was her phone. Was. When the glow disapated, it was changed. A blue and green D-Scaner with a symbol on the screen. The Symbol of Water.

Takuya sees this over her shoulder, and is shocked. He thought that sure the Spirit of Water would be corrupted again. Why was Ren reciveing this spirit?

The doors swing open, and Ren cautiously peeks out of the door. "Is this the Digital World?"She mumbles, stepping out quickly, her silver boots hitting the sand of a beach.

"Welcome to The Island of Dreams and Wishes."A familiar voice announces. Bokomon emmerges from the brush, and opens his famed 'Book of Knowledge',"The Island of Dreams and Wishes is located in Oceana Maijor, In the Digital World."

Takuya runs out of the train, smiling broadly. "Is that who I think it is?!"He exclaims, forgetting his D-Scanner in his pocket.

"Yes, Takuya-Han."Bokomon answers calmly, then accepting a hug. "Mind introducing your friend for me?" Bokomon points at Ren.

"Eh, this is Ren."Takuya informs him.

"Nice to meet you, Ren-San."Bokomon bows his head to the girl, trying not to seem impolite.

"I suppose."She sighs, then walking around to a cave dug into the ground. "What is this?"She mutters, seeing a symbol above the door. The same symbol that appeared on her D-Scaner.

"That,"Bokomon replies with dread in his voice,"Is The Prophecy Cave. No one enters it unless they were called there. And I doubt any of you will be called there."He pulls on Ren's hand to move her along, but she is fixed on the spot. Her eyes were trained on the water symbol above the entrance.

Takuya begins to shake her shoulder,"Ren-San, did you hear him? He said it's dangerous!"Takuya begins to shake her harder, finally slapping Ren.

Ren blinks rapidly, and turns to Takuya,"What just happened?"

"You were despondent for a moment. You were fixated on the symbol above the door."Bokomon explains, still annoyed by her comment from earlier. "If you had taken a step in, you would've been incinerated."

Ren's eyes open wide, and she takes a deep breath. "Thank you for stopping me."She says blankly, turning to the two. "Why am I even here?"She asks Bokomon, for he seemed to have all of the answers.

"It all began a long time ago. The war against Lucemon was over, and the Ten Legendary Warriors split into three essances, one of each element given to a Celestrial Angel. Ophanimon was the first to decide to create spirits. She used to essance to create the Raidence Warriors, which represented the purity of the spirits. Strong warriors, but gentle to the innocent." Bokomon turns to the two, who were listening intently. "Following her example, Serphimon used his part of the essances to create the Legendary Warriors, they represented the strength of the spirits. Amazingly strong, but easily corrupted."

Takuya looks away, remembering how easily Kouichi had been turned against his own brother.

"Finally, there was Churbimon's warriors. The Shaymen Warriors, representing the bravery of the spirits. Where they lacked in raw power, they made up for well over in tatics and such."When Bokomon is finished, he snaps his book shut, obviously satisfied.

"And this has to do with us why?"Takuya questions,"Not that the story isn't great and all, but it's not an explanation."

"I wasn't finished."Bokomon snaps,"Takuya, you and your friends came here once before, and saved us. Now only you and Ren are here, and you must face a similar task."When he turns to the cave, he shudders,"This cave holds the answers. That might be why Ren was fixated on it."

"But what about being discintigrated?"Takuya questions, a bit fearful of the painful death.

"I doubt it will happen."Bokomon snaps, and then turning to the two, his eyes widening in fear.

"Bokomon, what's wrong?"Ren questions, then turning around, her eyes widening a bit-but still, no emotion her face. "Wh-what or who is that!?"She exclaims, causing Takuya to turn as well.

The Digimon had red glowing eyes, and wiring exposed all over it's skin. Covered in bolts and exposed wiring, the Digimon looked deceased. Yet it was snarling and growling, snapping its jaw at Ren. It was DexDorugamon.

Ren stepped back a few feet everytime DexDorugamon snapped at her, causing her to be on the edge of entering the cave. She knew that there was doubt she would be discintergrated, but whatever it was that did that would not choose her to live-there was no doubt in her mind. One last snap sent Ren falling down the staircase into the bottom of the cave, which was completely flooded. At the bottom little Digi-Eggs rest at the bottom, all with marks like a sword fight. What interested Ren was a small glowing enitity at the bottom.

Swimming to the object, Ren realized two things. One, this was the Spirit Bokomon was speaking of. Two, she could breathe. Looking at the Spirit, the glowing entity took a whole new shape. A figure stood on it's knees, but with grace. Like a bowing figure. A trident seemed to be in its hands, and it seemed to radiate power.

The D-Scanner in Ren's hand-where it had been since she left the Trailmon-began to glow, and Ren slowly began to lift the device to the Spirit. _Is the spirit? _In an instant, she felt the spirit come to life and look her in eyes. The second after that, she felt three words slip loose from her lips:

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

The water rushed upwards at an incrediable speed, almost like a tidal wave coming out of the cave. Takuya and Bokomon had enough sense to move out of the way, and the second the water emerged, so did it's controller. The warrioress had long, strait, red hair; grey, calm, beautiful eyes; and dark skin. The trident she held was just a bit over her height, bright sterling silver. Her entire outfit was blue, except for a green skirt, metal boots, and shells acting like armour. This was Aguamon. The Raidence Warrior of Water.

DedDorugamon snarls, and feels confident. This warrior would be easy for him to defeat. It was her first ever battle, and most likely her last. There was not a doubt in his mind that he would defeat her. His gut feeling is dead wrong...

Author's Note:

**_Fixed some basic mistakes(i.e. D-Scanner)  
>And now, my dear hobbits, the chapter ScreenShot:<br>_****_ /d5ya2a6_**


	2. A Near Miss, Aguamon's Life or Death!

_**NOTE: Chapter Two is told from the Point of Veiw of Ren. This will be the only early on chapter where there is a point of veiw. I will give a warning if it's in first person. If not, it will be in third person.**_

DexDorugamon's breath is disgusting. That's the first thing I noticed while I battled him. Why? Because he had tackled me down, and was snapping at my face, drool and spit covering my mask. Disgusting, wasn't it? The exposed wiring of the digimon were sparking. And that sparked an idea. I knew as the Warrior of Water, I could control water itself. I thought for a moment, thinking what the water could do to the wiring.

See, when wiring-espically when it's sparking-gets wet, it begins to short out. DexDorugamon would be inable to move for a few moments-maybe even a few minutes, if I'm lucky(Which I'm undoubtly not.) Summoning the water was the hard part. If I could move my arm, I could do something to the wiring, but I was pinned down. My arms unmoveable, I would have to be able somehow control the water with my mind.

There were other ideas in my mind too. Perhaps I could wrigle free of DexDorugamon's grip, if I could somehow calm the beast enough to get out. I could also kick the digimon off of me, but then I see a ray of light. I grab onto an exposed wire, and got yanked upwards while it tried to shake me loose. With in a few seconds of being yanked up, I let go, being thrown back onto the sand.

Sitting weaponless on a beach wasn't much better than about to be eaten by a giant digimon, obviously. I had to have something to defend me other than the water, I had to. Oh well, no use wishing for what wasn't true. It wasn't going to do much good. I'd just have to use the water behind me and hope for the best. DexDorugamon rushed at me in, and in sheer reaction, I jump out of the way extremely quickly. Faster than I thought I could.

Things blured as I moved away from DexDorugamon, and I realized: I had never moved so fast in my entire life. Never. It was as if I flew for a few seconds. Now that's strange. But I didn't have time to dwell on it. I just had to fight DexDorugamon. Takuya and Bokomon were defenseless, and I doubt that DexDorgamon would give them mercy.

Tumbling away from another near miss, I felt my hand hit something wet. Don't let me be bleeding. Just don't let me be bleeding. Then there was the smell of salt; I had landed in the water. Something caught my eye just a few a feet away. Something bright and gleaming. A starling silver trident. Like the one I saw when the spirit appeared. Looks like I did have some luck, after all.

Looking down at the trident, I also saw my reflection. I wasn't myself. I wasn't beautiful like this. I didn't have red hair, or star-like grey eyes. I didn't have any of those things. I wasn't myself. I wasn't my blue-haired, dark-skinned, boring brown eyes self. The girl in the reflection couldn't be me. No time to dwell on this. I had to fight. Takuya-San was counting on me. I couldn't let another person down. Not again.

DexDorugamon didn't know better than to charge into the water after me. Er, well, that or he knew fairly well that I'd be eltrocuted as well. You know how it feels to be shocked by static eletricity when your friend touches you for fun? Multiply that by one hundred or so, add the heat of an overused computer,-multiplied by fifty-and then throw in the pain of a knife ripping through most of your body. That's the pain that DexDorugamon's sparking wiring's eletricity racing through the water felt like. I can barely describe it. Oh wait, I think I just did.

You know what I discovered then about my boots? They're metal. You know what metal does? It conducts eletricity. I think this is what saved my life. The metal boots were stuck in the sand of the bottom of the water, and that essintally took the the eletric charge out of my body. Luck is really shining on me today, huh?

Land was not far from where I was collapsed in the water. It was easy to get to land-and out of an eletric hot zone. But what was I supposed to do wtih DexDorugamon? I had a trident in my hands, but I didn't know how to use it. The trident was useless in my hands. Or perhaps not. I thought how it could be used. Throwing the trident could be useful, but could I throw it that far? I wasn't going to test my luck, but it seemed like the only option. The only option.

Taking a deep breath was a good start. Focus helped aim. Throwing the trident was going to be hard the hard part. Another deep breath. Just throw it. I had to keep telling myself that. Takuya-San and Bokomon-Chan needed me to protect them. They wouldn't be able to fight DexDorugamon if I didn't somehow destroy him. This has to be it.

The trident hit DexDorugamon with ease. The noise of metal on metal half-way paralyzed me, yet it half-way invigerized me. The waves begin to act eratic. I had to draw my power from that.

"_Lluvia Tormeta!"_

The water was sudden, the torent was fast, and the rain was heavy. Yet, the water was.. contained. It couldn't be real. Everything was focused on Dorugamon. And that's the moment I realized: I controlled it. I don't know how, but I did it. I was controlling this... Attack.

The next thing that happened was a ring around DexDorugamon appeared, and I knew what to do, yet I didn't. The entire time, the D-Tector had been in my hand.

"This spirit of darkness, My Purity Will Clense. DigiCode... Scan!"

Next thing I knew, I fell backwards and something caught me. And it faded to black...  
>_<p>

Waking up, I saw thee figures above me. A small figure, with a pointed head. A larger figure, with what I supposed was hair spiking each way. And the last figure I somewhat recognized. Junpei. The other figures began to make sense too. Takuya Kanbara and Bokomon were above me as well. The rest of the background was blackish, it had to be night time. But three moons? Nothing made sense in the Digital World, did it?

"Hey, Ren-Han is waking."Bokomon announces, moving back to I guess let me have some air.

"Point out the obvious much, Bokomon-Chan?"Junpei mocks, quite rudely.

"Give her some space, Junpei-San, let her breathe."Takuya repreminded Junpei. I'd have to thank him for that.

Sitting up, I saw a small flame that provided the light that allowed us to see a short distance away. Well, at least THAT still made sense. "What just happened?"I moaned, finally able to sit up strait with the help of Takuya.

"Y-you evolved."Junpei answered, as if the answer wasn't too clear.

"I... turned into a Digimon?"

"Yes. Through Spirit Evolution, you turned into The Raidence Warrior of Water, better known as Aguamon."Bokomon began, but Takuya placed his hand over Bokomon's mouth.

"Please do not lecture us, Bokomon-Chan. It's the middle of the night."Takuya complained, and sharply drew his hand away, and screamed."YOU BIT ME!"

"Don't put your hand over my mouth, Takuya-Han!"Bokomon repreminded, almost comically jumping up and down.

"You two..."Junpei trailed off, annoyed.

"Where are we?"I ask, hoping to distract Bokomon or Takuya.

"Still on the island."Bokomon replies, then turning around,"Thank you, by the way."

I opened my eyes wide. "Huh?"I tilted my head. What on earth was Bokomon talking about? Thanking me? What did I do?

"Yeah, thanks for saving us back there."Takuya added in,"If you hadn't spirit evolved, who knows what would've happened."

I was taken aback. I didn't even think that they'd thank me for that. It's not like I really did anything. But I woudn't say anything to object them. "I guess you're welcome."I reply, keeping my head down. I wasn't going to get attached to these people.

"You guess? You saved their lives!"Junpei exclaimed,"Ren-San you should be excited." He lowered his voice,"or at least you should smile."

I stayed silent. If they were just looking to make me show emotion, they were out of luck. If I let them know how I felt, they'd use it against me. I knew it. But dwelling on something so improbable was useless. Instead I changed the subject,"What happened to DexDorugamon?"I question.

Junpei tilted his head,"You took his data, er _scanned_his data."He explains,"Do you know how you use the data you scan right?"

"Hmmm..."I mutter, grabbing the D-Tector. Looking at it, a button was flashing. "Well this looks promising."I pressed the glowing button, and the same data that I scanned began to leave the device, and starts entering the land. Broken trees, burned bushes, even eroded away cliffs began to reappear, and then a cheer errupted. Or a roar. One of those.

"Owww. That's gotta be a Trailmon."Takuya exclaims, running out of the woods and back onto the beach. The same beach where the battle occured.

The source of the noise was the train-or Trailmon as Takuya called it. But it didn't look exactly normal. The back part of the train was pretty much normal, but it was the front part of the train that was.. not expected. Like Takuya had said, the train was a digimon.

"I was told to pick up three kids and a digimon,"The digimon explains,"So hop on before I take off with out 'ya."

Obviously, no one wanted to stay on the island. We boarded the trailmon and didn't say a word after that. Exaughsten was finally going to take over and we all passed out the second we shut our eyes. Until Takuya began snoring, at least...  
>_<p>

The trailmon skittered to a hault when sunlight began to peak through the misty haze of early morning. I was all ready awake, Junpei was close to being awake, yet Takuya was in a deep sleep. And his snoring? I didn't sleep a wink.

Finally the snoring stoped when Takuya was thrown forward a few inches by the sudden stop of the trailmon. "Eh, we stopped."He pointed out, quite blankly.

"Yeah. This is your stop."The Trailmon stated. The doors swung open, and everyone began to get off, but I stumbled to the ground when my feet touched the pavement of the terminal. Someone yanked my arm backwards, causing me to look down at absolutely nothing. Nothing. The terminal was right on a cliff.

"Ren-San, are you all right!"Takuya exclaimed, pulling me back onto the platform.

I nodded my head, somewhat dazed. I was still tired, and I think my entire body ached. It was hard to tell, adrenaline was rushing awfully. My head pounded with my blood racing. My arm was in the most pain, where Takuya yanked me back.

"Let's get away from this ledge."Junpei advises, "Then we'll think of something. I'm sure there's some digimon here."

Bokomon had it covered,"Where is this terminal, exactly?"He asks the Trailmon.

"Flame Terminal, Right on the Edge of The Terra Continent."Trailmon replies.

Bokomon ran after us, jumping up and down excitdely, "TAKUYA-HAN! JUNPEI-HAN!" REN-HAN!"

"Yes?"I inquire, blankly.

"We're in Flame Terminal!"

Takuya stood from the bench, extremely quickly, half-way excited half-way confused. "How!?"

"What's so important about Flame Terminal, except for the fact I almost died here?"I question.

"This is where Takuya got his spirit the first time around."Junpei explained, but then something exploded behind us.

"DUCK!"I exclaimed, throwing the two down to the ground, debris flying harmlessly above our heads. More explosions rang out, more debris. This was terrifying. There were shouts muffled by the explosions, smoke rushing past us.

We stood quickly, and turned to the source of the chaos, and there stood a tall, dark, figure. Er, not so tall. It was acutally shorter than me. The whole chaos was created by throwing boulders and mud of all things.

"I-it can't be!"Junpei exclaimed,"It's Grumblemon!"

Obviously whatever this 'Grumblemon' was, it knew Junpei and Takuya. It rushed in at the boys, a hammer raised high over it's head. Diving out of the way, I heard a crash that sounded like something on pavement. Did Grumblemon crash?

In a sense, yes. Grumblemon had pratically thown Takuya through the wall, into what looked like a sactuary. I'd have to keep Grumblemon from following him in. I had to evolve. No choice.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"


	3. Haunting Memories, Agnimon's Return

_**NOTE: Okay, in the last chapter, we were reading in Ren's POV. And, sorry, but I lied when I said that there wouldn't be a POV, it's Takuya. Oh, and if you're lost on the terms I use, PM me. Mainly it's just the Japanese terms and names, save for a few that I either get confused, or that I don't like the Japanese names. I.e. Fairymon is a bit stupid of a name to me. Kazemon sounds a bit better. I.e. I get Grumblemon and Grottomon mixed up in my mind.**_

The familiar sensation of evolving. I missed that feeling. Flames rushing to my head and all. But admist the familiar sensation, there was a sense of dread. Like something awful was going to happen. But what could that be?

The fight did not start lightly. An on slaught of rocks barraged my way, the only thing protecting me being the sheild of light and flames around me. And it was about to break. I was not going to hide behind a sheild. I would fight until I was either dead or victorous. In the back of my mind, I wished that victory was the end of the battle. But I had to focus. I could not get back into my over confidence. That's how they got hurt.  
>_<p>

_"SALAMANDER BREAK!"_

_Duskmon's head turned at the force of my foot's impact. This had to be it, this had to be the end. But he didn't flinch, didn't fall down. My plan wouldn't work._

_"Is that it?"His voice mocked._

_Anger over rode common sense, and in the back of my mind, sheer terror was keeping my senses from coming back. I'm quite unsure what I acutally did to attack him. something loud and... probably odd looking._

_"I asked if that was it."Duskmon repeated, after my on slaught of unneeded anger._

_"No way... No Way... No way..."I repeated, as if trying to convince myself, 'There's no way. I won't die.'_

_**"If we all work together, we can win!"**_

_'That's right! I have my friends! This isn't over yet!'_

_At that point, there was a flash of my friend's moving into postion, and suddenly, I was out of the way of the attacks, letting Duskmon take the fall. B-but... He asorbed the attacks as if they were nothing._

_"That's impossible!"_

_"That's because you aren't good enough."And suddenly, Duskmon was standing right in front of me._

_I closed my eyes, and braced for impact._

_"KOUJI!"  
><em>_

Getting back into real life, the battle still ragged, and what little of a sheild that was once there had been destroyed by the rampaging rocks. I had wasted time thinking. Fighting Grumblemon was the first thing I needed to do, not get lost in my own thoughts.

The sense of dread grew in the back of my mind as I rushed forward, covered in flames. Right before the flames-and my fists-made contact with Grumblemon, a flash of movement marked that I had not hit anything. Just the ground. I couldn't let him slip around, like the last time. I didn't have the Beast Spirit to attack him with this time. Junpei and Ren were counting on me to stop Grumblemon.

"Stupid!"Aguamon screamed, bringing me back to my senses. For a moment, I thought she was taunting Grumblemon, but then I realized that she was repreminding me,"Nice job almost burning me!"

Reveiwing the five seconds of trying to attack, in a mixture of anger and sheer confusion, I had attacked Aguamon. I put my head down, realizing my stupid mistake. "At least I didn't acutally burn you."

She clicked her tounge, in a bit of annoyance. For some reason, her being evolved made her look and act as if she wasn't afraid of showing her emotions. She may not have known it, but I saw very small moments of her realizing her emotions peeking through, and she'd suddenly act cold and suspicious. I sure as hell didn't understand it. "What do we do?"her voice peaked through my thoughts.

"What do you mean? We fight."I replied, a bit dumbstruck by her question. I mean, it was quite obvious that we had to fight Grumblemon before it was too late and he destroyed the terminal.

"I mean, do you have a plan for such a battle or are you guessing from the get go?"She half asked, half ordered.

I'll admit, I did not understand Ren. One. Bit. She made sense just fine, but she put it to you in a way that made you both angry and embarassed. She put it to you as if you should all ready know, without further explanation. As if she tried to make you hate her. But she was right, rushing in wasn't my best bet. "You have to be right all the time?"

Aguamon clicked her tounge, and then looked at me for a second with those damn serious eyes. "Well, how do we fight this thing?"

I had to think for the longest time, or what felt like the longest time. We never won against Grumblemon until one of us recieved a Beast Spirit, and even then he technically wasn't defeated until Junpei had his Beast Spirit. "Well, see, I'm not really sure..."

Aguamon let out a sigh of agrivation. She turned her head a little to the left, and then turned back, "Where did that thing go anyways?"

Looking around, I noted that everything in the terminal was calm. It made perfect sense, acutally. Grumblemon had slipped away when we distracted ourselves with arguing. "He must've escaped when we weren't looking."

For one terrifying moment, Aguamon said nothing. She was too busy looking around for something. "Do you think he would've left something to fight us?"She asked hastily.

"Probably not. He's not too bright." I replied, turning around. I realized that Junpei and Bokomon were nowhere around the sanctuary.

"I told Junpei and Bokomon to hide somewhere safe."Aguamon reassured, half-way smiling for a moment, but slowly dropped it. Her pupils dialated, and eyes widened. A look of terror.

"Ren, what's wrong?"I ask, too afraid to look behind me. I didn't want to see anything that made her look that terrifyed. She keeps her scilence, as if petrifyed. Turning around, I expected the worst. It was a good thing I did. A large, spider-like digimon had spun its web around us while we were trapped in our conflict. Junpei and Bokomon were in the center of the web.

"Wh-what is that thing!"I screamed, petrifyed just as Ren was.

The spider growled and roared, obviously unable to speak. Before either of us could make one move, it began to crawl closer, and out of its web. Up close, the spider was even more hideous than far away. It had the appearance of a giant wolf-spider, and that made me fear of its poison.

"TAKUYA-HAN, GET AWAY FROM DOKUGAMON! IT'LL TEAR YOU APART!"Bokomon shattered the tense scilence.

His warning was too late, at least for Ren. While I had gotten away from Dokugamon, she had stayed absolutely still.

"ARACHNO BATATO!"

The sticky webbing wrapped around Aguamon, as she finally came to the realization of her surroundings. Everytime she writhed, trying to escape, the net got tighter and tighter around her. In sheer instinct, I ran in front of her, ready to take the fore front of Dokugamon's next attack. "Stop trying to escape the net. It'll keep getting tighter." I turned to the posionous enemy, and let a bit of fury out.

"SALAMANDER BREAK!"

When the flames made contact with Dokugamon, the spider's webs began to disapate, the sticky strings restraining Junpei and Bokomon were completely gone. It made sense. The more damage Dokugamon took, the more webs would dissolve.

"STINGER PORATION!"

Purple venom encased most of my vision, and what little exposed skin there was began to burn, like flames would burn. This had to be Dokugamon's poison. I couldn't even move, it was_** that **_awful. Nothing felt real, yet it felt so painful. I could barely describe it. Even flinching caused it to multiply in the thousands. Slowly, things came back to light.

Anger pooled in my mind, almost turning my vision red. "BURNING SALAMANDER!" Watching Dokugamon fall backwards made the rage of being humiliated by a spider disapate, like the loosening webs around Aguamon. I had to finish off Dokugamon!

"BURNING SALAMANDER!"

Dokugamon began to dissolve, into data. It was time to kill this spider. "Impure spirit of darkness, this flame will purify! DigiCode... SCAN!"  
>_<p>

"Takuya?"A soothing voice above me whispered. The feeling of soft shaking rocked my pain ravaged body, followed by the same soft whisper,"Takuya, wake up." Finally, I forced my eyes open, causing blinding sunlight to jolt pain in my temples. "Ah, good, you're awake. You had me worried there for a moment."

For a few short seconds, I thought the girl was Izumi, but when my sight returned to normal, I noticed coffe-colored hair. Ren. Now, why on Earth was she so nice NOW? "So, what happened while I was out?"I changed the topic quickly.

"Nothing really."Junpei replied quickly.

"Well, that's good." I decided.

"It's also an understatement." Ren remarked coldly. "After Dokugamon went down, the terminal repaired itself, but it looks like a part of it is still missing." She explained indifferently.

Bokomon stepped up, holding his 'book of knowledge' up high,"Well, it looks like that the only peice missing is the last track. Nothing too major."

A sudden scilence over took us all, a bit awkward. But, it gave me time to examine my two teammates. Ren was pretty silent, sat straight, with a look of apathy on her face. How is it that she could care when I was injured, but the second she finds out I'm all right, she turns back to her detachment?

Junpei stared at the small bundle of flames with a glassy look in his eyes. Absolute boredom. It seemed like he was the same old Junpei from two years ago, just a bit older. It had acutally taken a few moments to even recognize him, the short two years had changed him. But honestly, there was no point in going into the details.

"Chosen Children." A woman's voice-seemingly in my pocket-announced, relievedly. "You have been called back finally."

"Ophanimon."Junpei whispered, holding his D-Scanner close to his face. The glow of the devices was overwhelming, like standing in front of a train before it hits you, but, you know, without the pain.

"O-ophanimon?" Ren's confused, ragged whisper broke through my racing thoughts. I had almost forgotten that she knew nothing of the Digital World. She was still as confused as I was those first few days.

_I thank Izumi for pulling me through those days. Her angry outbursts kept my mind away from my never ending questions. I didn't realize it back when I was eleven, but something about Izumi would pull me through a lot. I think the first time I realized there was something about her was the first time I saw her face red._

_It had began when Izumi and I went looking for Tomoki. I held in my hands his D-Scanner, a paleish blue and green device. Izumi had a look of pure shock on her face._

_"It looks like Tomoki's!"She exclaimed._

_Suddenly-and I should've seen this coming-Izumi misstepped and began to fall, and in a botched attempt to stay out of a giant pit, she latched on to my neck, as we both fell into nothing. When we landed, Izumi's arms were around my neck tight, almost suffocating me._

_"What are you doing!"She asked, worry and curosity in her voice. I think at that point, my face went absolutely red, and Izumi's did too, at least, after she slapped me a couple of times and threw me back._

_That was the first time I felt... Something._

"Chosen Children, you must listen carefully, I do not have enough time to explain it all." Ophanimon burst into my thoughts. Why was I drifting so much? "You have a war on your hands, children. Nowhere is safe enough to be off gaurd. Stay aware of your surroundings." Ophanimon stopped, her voice drown out by static. For a moment, we thought she had stopped speaking to us, but suddenly,"In every area, there are certain sacred places. Your spirits are there."

So, they weren't random locations anymore. Ren's spirit was in a 'prophecy cave', mine in a sanctuary. Hiden locations that no one dared to enter. Ophanimon knew where to hide the spirits very well, it seemed.

"You are not the only three."Ophanimon startled us, Ren espiscally,"The other Chosen Children are here, scattered about. Find them before the Enemy does." The static finally drowned Ophanimon out, causing our D-Scanners' screens to go black once again.

"There are more kids in the Digital World?"Ren blankly asks, calling us out of the scilence.

"M'hm. There were six of us the first time around, seven now-counting you. But, at the maximum, I'd say there'd be ten of us." I responded, just as quickly.

"What makes you say that, Takuya-Han?"Bokomon blurted, in what I think was a moment of confusion being passed around.

"Ten Elements."I answer, feeling as if possesed by something else, something more... Pure than I am.

Bokomon muttered something under his breath, sounding a bit like "Prophet." but he was so quiet, he could've said anything. It didn't matter, anyhow.

"That makes sense."Junpei remarks,"Unless there's..._** Him.**_"On the last word, I remembered the chill down my neck whenever I saw those blood red eyes, matching those of my close friend. The coldness, the apathy. I still couldn't believe that Kouichi-a nice person who tried to help anyone-was that ruthless... Monster.

The next thing that shattered our almost tired scilence, was a high-pitched scream, ringing out from everywhere. Izumi...


	4. Strength's Beauty, Warrior of Wind

_**Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own Digimon Frontier. All rights for Frontier go to Bandai of America and Toei Animation-I believe.**_

So, here comes the awaited Chapter Four!

Izumi Orimoto had been in the Digital World only a day, and she was already in grave danger. No spirits, no friends, all by her lonesome. She stood paralyzed, waiting for the loathsome, shadowed creature to lunge and kill her. It stood much taller than she, with large claws and... chains. Suddenly, it strikes at Izumi, her scream ringing out. This creature was going to end her life. But she didn't feel the claws rip through her skin. She, did however, feel a presure on her right shoulder, knocking her out of the way of the creatures claws.

"Izumi-Chan, are you all right?"Takuya asks her hasitily, standing quickly. He then offered his hand to the fallen Izumi. The girl stood with the help of her friend, feeling a bit secure. Though there was nothing to be secure about.

Junpei and Ren suddenly burst through the bushes, D-Scanners ready in case of emergency, but Junpei dropped his and gave a look happiness when he saw Izumi, "Izumi-Chan!" he exclaimed, with a large bit of admiration in his voice. Junpei obviously still held the blank infatuation for Izumi. Grown up or not, Junpei still was a teenage boy. Teenage boys did get feelings for a girl they considered pretty.

"Erm," Ren quickly and flatly interuptted, "I don't believe we've met."

Izumi popped up at the chance to ignore the desperate Junpei, "Ah, I'm Izumi! Izumi Orimoto."

"Ren" The coffe-haired girl said quickly, keeping her eyes on something other than the group. She suddenly looked closely at the clearing. No monster was in sight, nothing that would make the blonde girl scream. The clearing was obviously damaged, but most of The Digital World was damaged. "What did you scream about, exactly?"

Izumi cleared her throat after realizing the creature was gone, "There was a digimon here, but I guess it left before you guys could see it." She shruged, her blonde hair falling out of place onto her shoulder. She stood a bit over Takuya, yet a bit under Junpei. Her clothing was quite plain, but somehow was more impressive than the brighter clothes that Takuya wore.

Junpei stood up to her defense, "See, Ren-San, Izumi-chan had obvious reason to scream."

Ren, however, just brushed Junpei's protective outburst off, "Obviously, I did not see." She then spat something quite awful under her breath in Spanish, but no one could hear it other than Bokomon standing on her shoulder-who couldn't understand the language anyhow.

The other three didn't seem to notice Ren's spat, and continued trying to sort out their situation. "So, how you'd get to the Digital World?"

Izumi looked at the brown-haired Takuya, and then tried to recollect the sunny day she fell into the digital world.

_The day was warm. Extremely warm, even for the month of July. Izumi had tried to stay inside, but even she was drawn outside when a large rumble shook the building violently._

Her mother had been speaking to her about attaining a job to make her money instead of just asking for money from her family. "Izumi, you are fourteen. You should be able to make your money." Her mother repremanded.

Before Izumi could ever interject with her argument, suddenly a crack sounded and

_**BAM! **__Izumi and her mother were lucky to stay on their feet, for dishes that were in the cabinents fell to the ground and split into many peices. The women rushed out of the debris littered house as quickly as they could, into the streets._

Many people gathered in the streets, all looking skywards. Bright colors lit up the sky, with one symbol gathering in the middle of the clouds. Izumi recognized it instantly. It was, after all, her symbol. The Symbol of Wind. Painted in the sky, right where her spirit was. The purple swirling clouds encircled the city square, as other colors raced arounds like birds. One lilac ribbon began racing, racing towards Izumi.

"That had to be awful!" Junpei recoiled in sympathy.  
><em><br>_"I really don't remember what happened after that. All I DO remember is hard to understand." Izumi brings her story to a close.

"Explain what you think you saw." Takuya urged, hoping to sort the situation into some sense.

Izumi shuddered, and began another recallation...

_When Izumi had first awakened, it had seemed like her eyes were still closed. She cautiously raised her hand in front of face, and her eyes barely registered the movement. No light at all. It was a moment of sheer terror. At first, she didn't even notice the red eyes lighting up. They were the same ones Takuya and Ren had seen on the train. Izumi, however, saw even more terrifying similarity in them. The red of Duskmon's cold eyes, a last sight for many. She tried to stay calm, an illusion she insisted to herself, however there was no tricking her. But, as quickly as they came, they vanished.  
>_<em>  
>"Red eyes huh?" Takuya inquires, curious. His worry about what had attacked had disappated.<p>

Izumi then brightened, "And after that, I was here, and that thing tried to kill me. The end."

In reaction to Izumi's words, Ren put her hand on her chin, in thought, "But that's not the end." Everyone turned to the once silent girl, curious what her opinon on the matter was. "I'm betting that the thing that attack Izumi is off biding its time. You don't just randomly try to rip someone to shreds, do you?"

All four thought for a long moment, while the sun set red. Izumi could swear to the fact that she saw Duskmon; Takuya could swear to the fact that the red eyes weren't Duskmon. While they all couldn't quite think, the world around them still worked. Digimon loomed in the shadows, rain clouds threatened overhead, and leaves licked Izumi's arms with the wayward breeze. The scene was perfect. Four Warriors gathered, six remaining aimless like the leaves. Almost defenseless.

Takuya suddenly decided that it was time to move, "We should find a town or something. Figure out a plan to keep safe."

Ren suddenly saw a big hole in the plan, "We're supposed to save the world. It's not like that's a safe thing." She remarked slyly.

Takuya put his hand on his chin, "Point... But we need a safe place to think, don't we?"

"Point." Ren admitted, but then jumped back in, "What about the fact that we seem to be in an endless sea of trees and thorns?"

Takuya proped his hands on his hips and gave an angry look, "Well, towns can be hiden!"

"Where!" Ren screamed, with a colder, angrier tone, but no emotion peaked. "Where in this forest would there be a town!"

At this point, Junpei comes between the two arguing, holding his thick arms out. "Now, we don't need you two fighting. Takuya-san, Ren makes a point. Ren-san, lighten up."

Ren is shocked by his remark, unsure of what to think. Her defenses had been shattered by that, the cold sheild broken. She stood frozen for a moment, while Izumi, Takuya and Junpei walked on to find a town. "Ren-han, move!" Bokomon commanded, tugging on her short hair.

She moved her feet sluggishly, staying behind the group at all times, not wanting to face them. Bokomon maintained a conversation so Ren wasn't completely forgotten about. It seemed to her that the only thing she was good for to the previous warriors was as dead weight, luggage really. Ren fiddled with the edge of her spandex shorts.

"Ren, why so quiet?" Izumi asked, stopping to catch up with the other girl. It had just then occured to her that Ren might've been quiet because she didn't know any of them.

"I-I" her knees felt like they would fold up like a girl about to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" in the Dallas Stadium; she quivered like jell-o.

"Guys," Izumi said cheerfully, "We'll catch up in a few. Go on ahead."

Junpei was about to interject, saying it would be too dangerous, but Takuya grabbed the boy by the collar of his eletric yellow shirt.

Izumi looked at Ren, trying to decipher the look on her face. Ren was trying to stay apathetic, but something seemed to be distracting her sharp focus; perhaps the feeling of being useless. "Your name is Ren, right?" Izumi asks, trying to end the scilence.

Ren nodded, silent.

"Why are you so shy, exactly?" Izumi asks, quite bluntly.

"Shy? I'm not being shy."

"Then what is it, why won't you ever talk?"

Ren then pushes past Izumi, catching up with Junpei and Takuya. They seemed shocked by her sudden reapperance, especially since she was stomping away from Izumi; Bokomon had to hold on just to stay on her shoulder. Izumi tries to catch up with her, but Takuya rests his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

The four had walked for hours before any more words were spoken. They saw lights at the bottom of the canyon. Bokomon promptly opens his book, "There's nothing about a settlement at the bottom of this canyon. It must be recent."

Ren and Takuya look at each other for a moment, "What do you think?" Takuya asks.

"It could be refugees from a village that got destroyed." Ren suggests, "Orrrr, it could be a camp of Digimon trying to attack a village."

"Either way, the Digimon could be hostile." Junpei adds in.

"Very true." Takuya nods his head, trying to think clearly. "What do you think we should do then?"

"I beleive you should come peacefully." An almost heroic voice from behind them says, "Or suffer the consequences."

All four turned swiftly. The voice was a tall digimon, dressed very much like a Greek warrior. He was extremely-for lack a better word-buff. His orangeish hair was quite wild-and there was a lot of it. He had winged sandal, which must've been his way of flying. Worst of all, he held a large sword-much bigger than any of the Chosen Children.

Takuya instantaneously stepped in front of Izumi, Junpei, and Ren. His leader instinct had kicked in on over drive. "Why should we?" The goggle-head growled.

The digimon lifted his sword into an attack position. "It seems you don't have a choice."

The children's every move was watched by the Warrior who had captured them. They were all nervous, and acutally quite exaughsted by the time they reached the encampment. When told to sit in a tent until called for, they obliged with a tinge of relief.

Bokomon, however, was not very relaxed, "Children, why aren't you forming some escape plan or evolving and saving us all?" He screamed at them, jumping up and down comically.

Takuya turned to the little Digimon, brown hair shifitng in an odd way. His eyes were almost glazed, to the point where you would believe he could fall asleep at any second. "Bokomon, there's nothing we could do."

Even Izumi gives him a look of shock. "Nothing to do? What do you mean!?"

Before Izumi could recieve her answers, the digimon from before grabs her by the scruff of her neck, "You're first." He growls.

In the main tent of the camp, the Digimon had litterly cornered Izumi. Many small Greek warrior like digimon with large spears kept her hostage in the leather tent. The blonde girl was tied to the chair by two Greek Nymph Digimon-who seemed to be acting like slaves or servents. Izumi strugled by instinct, panicing awfully.

The digimon who had first attacked the children smirked, "Calm down now. No one is going to hurt you." He attempted to console the girl, who kept shreiking and fidgiting. He finally yanked some of her blonde hair, causing her to calm her a small bit.

Izumi glared daggers at the digimon, "What do you want from me?" she growled, hoping that hostility was better than panicing.

The digimon ignores her glaring, "Answers. I want answers, young Warrior of Wind."

"Who are you?" She asks suspicously.

The digimon seemed to be expecting this question, "Hercmon. Gaurdian of the Gate from the Flame Terminal to the Forest Kingdom."

"F-forest Kingdom!?" Izumi deadpans.

Hercmon chuckled, "I will be asking the questions, child." He turned to the blonde, and their gazes met, startling blue on bright green. "Why did you and your friends try and cross the border?" He arks an eyebrow.

Izumi shivers, "We were lost." She lies, since she hadn't spoke to her friends to establish reason.

"Yet you seem to know about the Forest Kingdom." Hercmon ponders, "Why is that?"

"Who doesn't know about the Forest Kingdom." Izumi remarks.

"Hmph!" Hercmon clears his throat, and continues his interrogation, "Well then, we shall search your friends for any viable weapons or contact devices, and then we shall see of your fate." The way Hercmon said 'Fate' sent a shiver down Izumi's spine.

When the news of having to hand over anything that could possibly save their lives fell on Takuya's ears, his exaughsten snapped right out of his auburn eyes. His instant reaction was to hide his D-Scanner, but then realized that many soilders were around. And Izumi. He didn't want to embarass himself in front of her.

"IN all honesty," Ren whispered to Izumi, "I just hope they completely forget my bag. Hevan knows what's in that thing."

Izumi giggled, "Then why do you have it? Do YOU even know what's in there?"

"Not. One. Clue."

The girls suddenly burst out giggling, causing all of the servant/Nymph digimon to turn their heads, with staring eyes. The two stare at each other for a moment, as if to comprehend what happened-Ren espiscally, for bursting into giggling fits was not like her. Takuya and Junpei stared as well, the girl's conversation lost on them.

As one of the gaurd digimon began to search their few belongings, the children began discussing stratgies to escape. "What if I take the main gaurd out, while Ren uses her water powers as Aguamon to take out the rest of them?" Takuya suggests.

"No, that wouldn't work." Junpei interjects, "The nymph things would just over take us after you two tired yourselves out with the gaurds. They look sneaky." A dirty look from Ren, "No offense."

"No one else has a spirit, though." Ren reminds him, "What are Junpei and Izumi supposed to do in the plan? We can't protect them if we're too busy fighting."

Takuya makes a "Hmm" noise, "Good point, Ren-San. Then we need to sneak out after dark. Surely it might be easier to escape in the cover of night."

Izumi was the one who broke this plan, "Surely they'll have more patrols of gaurds at night. We won't be able to sneak past them."

"What if we create a big distraction, and sneak out then?" Junpei suggests, smiling broadly.

"That just might work... If I hadn't heard you." Hercmon's voice startled the children. "Hand the devices over." He sticks his hand out, obviously feeling like he had been duped. The first D-Scanner to hit his hand was Takuya's; The other children's followed. Except Izumi.

"Hand it over." Hercmon demands.

"No." Izumi says firmly. Takuya and Ren shoot Izumi looks, as if to say, _you seriously want yourself dead?_Izumi ignores them, still unflinchingly glaring at Hercmon.

Hercmon takes the girl by her hair, pulling her to the floor, and knocking the device out of her hands. "Izumi!" All the children cry out, though this wouldn't help their helpless friend. Hercmon places his foot on Izumi's back, so she couldn't struggle while the spear weilding digimon grab her pink and green D-Scanner.

When one digimon touches the device, he must suddenly drop it, as if it burned his skin. The next digimon-who had gloves- grabs it, but has the same results. Another warrior grabs it with his tail, but even the coarse fur proves no defense for the device's barrier. "What is it!" Hercmon screams, marching over to the group of warriors now practically playing 'Hot Potato' with the D-Scanner.

"Sir, it's too hot to touch" the tailed digimon explains, staring at Hercmon's winged sandals.

"Give it to me!" Hercmon demands, grabbing the D-Scanner. It does not burn him. However, the device glows in such a bright mannor that it blinds even the warriors in the cornor.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Kazemon was radiant. With the gracefullness of a dancer, she manuvered the wind around her to completely disable any of Hercmon's soilders. They all held their arms up in surrender, one even ripped a peice of white cloth off of a soilder in front of him and held it up like a flag. Extending a long arm, Kazemon easily manipulated the wind surrounding a group of nymph digimon to where they could move to help their master. She finally turned to Hercmon himself.

"Wh-what! Do you think that riding yourself of my worthless soilders will do you any good!?" Panic was quite obvious in his voice, "You are a fool, Warrior of Wind!"

Kazemon ignored him, and buffeted him with wind, "_Brezza Petalo!"_

The wind threw Hercmon around like a rag doll, causing the warrior to be thrown out into the streets of the encampment, the D-Scanners being scattered around like petals in the morning breeze. All left in the tent quickly dash out, Kazemone taking flight. With her translucent wings spread out, she looked even more like a threat to Hercmon than before.

"Wait! Izumi-han!" Bokomon screams, "Don't anger Hercmon! He-"

Before Bokomon could ever finish that statement, Hercmon stood up swiftly. However, the digimon had changed. He now had grayish skin, devilish wings, large claws, and chains for weapons.

"He-he shouldn't do that." Bokomon remarks.

"That's the thing that attacked Izumi!" Takuya screams with a tinge of recognizition and guilt in his voice.

Kazemon gulps back her fear, deciding that if she stood there too long, she would have no chance of surviving. She hastily began kicking her long legs at Hercmon, "_Roseo Temporale!_" Hercmon swatted her away like a bug, and then began swinging his chains at her.

After cartwheeling out of the way of every attack, Kazemon begins to remember her ability to fly. She had completely forgotten about her wings, in the panic of escaping being tied up by Hercmon's chains. As she took to the sky, she saw her friends desprately searching for their scattered D-Scanners. From the height she had attained, it was hard to tell who was where, but they all looked alive and well. That was all Izumi cared about.

"HERO'S HELL!" Hercmon swung the longest chain at Kazemon's legs, and acheived grabbing her left leg. She shreiked in pain, for the ends of the chains seared her leg to the point where she swore it was on fire.

Back down with Takuya, Ren, and Junpei, they saw Kazemon suffer, while they sat unable to rescue her. Junpei finally picks up something that he belives is a D-Scanner. "It's so dark, I can't see whose it is." He remarks.

"Perfect. Just perfect." Ren spits bitterly.

Takuya grabs the D-Scanner from Junpei, without hesitation. "Not mine." He somehow is able to tell. He hands it to Ren.

"Nope." She then says. "So, we found Junpei's D-Scanner, and he can't evolve." She remarks blankly.

Kazemon then landed close to the others, then quickly transforming back into Izumi. Takuya rushes over to her, waiting for Hercmon to attack again, but before Hercmon barraged them, a lone figure barraged HIM, and he dissolved like mist in the night. "Wh-who is... that!?" Ren deadpans, total fear taking over her insticts.

"_**Duskmon!"**_

_**Author's Note:  
>Haha, did I scare you there? Well, check back in next time, as we discover what happens to the four. Reviews are appreciated. Hercmon is 100% my made up digimon, so don't go looking him up on Wikipedia. XD, love you guys~<strong>_


	5. Battle for the Forest, Earth Warrior

_**Author's Disclaimer- I do not own the title 'Digimon Frontier' All Rights go to perspective companies.**_

Lori Inichi had suspected that the world she and her young step-sister, Liri Rouli, were in was Digital from the start. No where on Earth was there such lush forests, due to Human pollution and such. In fact, even her lungs recognized the air as more pure than anywhere, even rain forests she had once dreamed about living in when she was young, younger than her dear sister. Lori was positive the world was fake, or she was on another world entirely. Pulling on her coarse red hair, Lori grumbled about the humidity, "Why didn't I cut my stupid hair?"

"Lori?" A small voice asks her. Liri was still dressed up from her friend's party, looking a bit like a bussiness woman with thin, long, blonde pigtails. Pale violet eyes that could plead Lori into practically anything, Liri was just simpily cute. "Where are we?"

Lori looked at Liri with an odd look, "I don't know."

"Are we in Florida?"

"I... don't think so."

"Are we in the Rain Forest?"

"I don't know!" Lori screams, a bit aggrivated, "What do you not get about 'I Don't know'!"

Liri pondered for a moment, then noticing a rustling movement in the bushes, "Maybe I can ask whoever's in the bushes." She then wandered off in that general direction, leaving her still flustered sister behind.

"Ah... Sure." Lori says, sighing, before snapping her eyes open. "Liri!" She exclaims, running to catch up with the blonde girl. "Don't run off like that." She repremands.

Liri stands up, innocently staring at her older, dumbfounded sister. "What's so wrong? There's a little creature in the bushes." Liri smiles broadly, ingnorantly pointing at the bush like it was extremely important.

"Little creatures bite little girl's fingers off." Lori repremanded, then bending down to search the bush herself. It was really a mass of leaves with a few branches inside, which Lori thought was strange for such a pure place, but her thought process threw the tidbit aside like garbage. As she began to reach for whatever her sister had claimed to have seen, she felt a bite on her hand, and she hastily drew back.

"Maybe you should listen to your own advice, Lo-ri!" Liri jokingly got on to her sister, almost laughing at her tone of voice.

The creature was a small-yellow rabbit-like _thing_ that seemed to be wearing overly-large red pants that covered where it's feet should be. Smiling largely, it exclaimed, "So, you guys were the guys Ophanimon was talking about... You don't look like the other kids..."

"Th-the other kids?" Lori questions, "Who are the other kids?"

The rabbit puts its hand on its chin, "Aw, darn, I can't remember their names... Bokomon was better with this stuff..."

"Who's Bokomon?" Liri interjects.

"He's my friend, but I can't seem to remember anything. No one around here can anymore. It's like we've all been cursed!"

"Who are you?" Lori finally asks, remember something about the name was the first thing to loose in memory loss.

"I'm Neemon."

_ So he knows his name, but he can't remember much else. Everything about this world is strange. Maybe amnesia works in reverse here. Your name would be the last thing you'd forget..._ As Lori pondered, Liri continued interrogating Neemon, and after a few moments of chatting, the two seemed like a couple of good friends having a conversation. Liri had this affect on most people, even her anti-social, tech-geek of a step-sister. Finally, Liri seemed convinced:

"Lori, we're going to travel with Neemon."

Shaking her head, Lori turned to her sister in shock, "What?" Lori had never seen her sister take charge, much less tell her what they were going to do.

"Well, he seems lost. We can't leave him here to die." Liri spoke compasionately, and then smiled.

Lori had to concede; Liri was right about the fact they couldn't let Neemon die. It would be wrong, "All right." she finally said, not sounding too pleased.

"Oh, really, thank you~" Neemon bowed his head to the girls, a big cheeky grin on his face. He then began to walk off, screaming "This way~"

Lori shrugged.

As it turns out, Neemon was leading the girls into a small, remote villiage, hidden by the thick forage of leaves and roots and vines. One really couldn't count it as a villiage: It was sparse, a few poorly constructed log buildings, with more Digimon than buildings.

"What are these things?" Liri asks, bluntly, staring at one of the smaller, plantae-like digimon who was staring right back in bewilderment.

"They're all Digimon." A deep growl told the girls, "And you two are in deep trouble."

Both girls and Neemon turn, to what seemed to be a large bear, with charcoal fur and green, peircing eyes. It galred daggers at the girls, who were still standing in bewilderment at the large animal. As if on instict, Lori pushed the dimunitive Liri at her heels, to where protecting her sister would be easier. Neemon whimpers, and presses his ears back flat against his skull.

Lori shifted uncomforatbly on her feet, "Erm, I don't believe I quite understand. What have we done..." She trailed off, afraid that if she prompted him for his name, he'd swing his claws at her and Liri.

The digimon sighed, "I am Andermon, child." He was cruel on the enuciation of the word 'child', as if to remind them that he was in chage and they were the kids in trouble.

"Wait, Andermon, do you think these two are responsible for the situation?" the small plantae-like digimon questioned, curiously tilting its head.

Andermon eyes the digimon suspiciously, and let out a breath, "Yes, what of it?"

The digimon sniffed Lori's arm, "They don't have that bad smell that bad digimon have." it bluntly prompts.

It was Neemon's stupid remark that got them in, "But, they're not digimons, Tanemon-" he realized exactly what he said, and covered his mouth.

"Right you are, Neemon. The children are not digimon." Andermon sounded somewhat cruel, "They are _human!_"

One digimon then yelled out, "Despicable Humans, always ruining our world!" Suddenly, all of the Digimon are ranting:

"They're going to destroy this world!"

"Like the the last ones did!"

"YEAH!"

"Now wait a minute!" Neemon exclaims back at the creatures, "The last group of humans in the Digital World tried to save us! I was there!"

"Were you?" The first digimon asks warily, "You were there, betraying your own kind by traveling with humans, just like you are right now!"

"I bet the Humans told him that they saved the world!"

"Despicable humans!"

"Filthy Humans!"

"Now wait a minute!" Liri finally breaks the digimon's ranting, "What is your problem with people? Acting this cruel and down-right rude makes you all worse than the creatures that tried to destroy your world!"

The digimon are silent, until Andermon suddenly clicks his tounges, "What did you digimon expect, the human defending her own kind! She speaks nothing but lies!"

"Lies?" Tanemon asks, the silently adding, "She didn't sound like she was lying..." Again, the digimon begin to rant:

"Liar!"

"I wonder how many other lies the humans have told..."

"That girl is a liar!"

"SHUT UP!" Lori screams, "Shut up!" She then turns strait to the crowd, back to Andermon, "Call me what you want, but leave her out of this entire thing!" Lori then turns strait to Andermon, looking the monsterous bear strait in the eye, "And you, what IS your problem against humans!"

"My... problem?" Andermon chuckles, then his voice lowers to a deathly terrifying whisper that only Lori could possibly hear, "This is my world, child. You humans keep invading it, even though Lord Churbimon and many others have made many attempts to keep you out."

Apparantly, Neemon had heard the last bit from Andermon, "HE WORKS FOR CHURBIMON!" he cries out, receiving a growl and a glare from Andermon.

The entire village gasps, and instantly take a large step back from Andermon. Like the digimon, Lori was afraid of Andermon, only not for herself. Her little sister wasn't afraid of anything, and not having fear will cause you to walk out in front of a train and get yourself killed. Lori pushed Liri back into the crowd, who now would gladly protect the girl.

"Andermon lied to us!" One digimon began, which once again began a series of shouts from the villagers:

"He works for Churbimon!"

"HE'S EVIL!"

"OKAY WE ESTABLISHED THAT! CAN YOU SHUT UP NOW!?" Neemon screams.

The small township goes silent, and stays that way, a tense chill running over Lori Inichi. A low, growling noise grows louder and louder. The ground quivered and shook, causing many of the digimon to fall and begin to run, only to fail and fall again. Out of either boldness, brashness, or sheer stupidity, Lori does not make any attempt to escape; instead, she stood her ground, flat-footed, almost rooted to the ground. A sudden instict, Lori reaches in her back pocket, pulling what she thought would be her cell phone. But it was not. A green device in the palm the of her hand, while the rumbling grew. Louder and louder it got, yet it would not stop growing; it seemed more like an earthquake than a growl, really.

_**CRACK!**_

The ground split! At first, the cracks were small, unnoticeble unless you concentrated hard enough, but then the cracks got larger and larger, to the point that where the villagers stood was a separate peice of land than the rest of the village. By either bad luck or fate, where Lori stood happened to be where the largest crack in the entire village came. Lori was oblivious to this, and was up to the point where more cracks caused the ground to open and swallow her whole. She would most certainly fall to death.

Andermon's growling ceased when Lori fell. The shaking stopped, and the villagers suddenly realized with a sense of dread the reason why. "... Lori?" Liri whispers, a scary sense of mourning settling over the young girl, "Is she..." Liri trailed off, since the thought that crossed her mind was too terrible to speak.

Suddenly, a small, plantae-like digimon flings itself at Andermon, scratching and pawing at the digimon. Then another digimon does the same, and another, and another, and another! All of the Digimon were the smaller, less-experienced in battle digimons, but after a few moments of confusion, the older, stronger digimon attack as well: A full-scale revolt. Andermon was clearly _revolted _by the revolt, yet he shook their attacks off.

"_Fools,_" Andermon spats, "Only a legendary warrior could possibly defeat me! And I do not see those horrid humans that have them!"

The Digimon then fall back into the cornor of the village that isn't damaged, but before they could, the ground begins to shake again. Though, this time, it was if the ground was awakening, not trying to obliterate everything in sight. The trees seem to whisper, the leaves carrying their message. The crack where Lori fell to her untimely death begins to emit a greenish light. Andermon suddenly realizes that he doomed himself with his words.

Completely darkness surrounded Lori Inichi. Opening her eyes, she realized that A. she was not dead, or at least not completely dead, and that B. she realized that she smelt dirt. "_What, did someone bury my alive?_" Lori jokingly thought to herself, though in the back of her mind she hoped her joke was just a joke. Almost as suddenly as she entered the darkness, a greenish light bathed the chasam.

The light's source was a staue like object sitting in the middle of what appeared to be a sancutuary. Oddly, there were two more empty pedastals with different symbols on each - to be specific, each had one symbol that was exactly like the other two, and then had a symbol of its own that was completely different from the others. Lori slowly and unsteadily approached the statue, and then tried to decipher what it was. It was obviously a female trying to be portrayed, but the resemblance to human stopped there. The figure crouched, knees pulled up to its chest, but instead of having the arms wrapped around the knees, it had a gray tail wrapped around its knees.

Finally, Lori whispered: "Spirit Evolution"

When the shaking stopped, the light blinded them. When the light dissapated, a warrioress in green armour emerged as if from the ground itself. Gray shaggy hair that was as short as a boy's, and large, wolf-like ears, with the peircing light-blue eyes of a wolf to match. Most terrifying of all, she had a long spear in her hands. Andermon - unsure of what else to do - lunges toward her, snarling and snapping. The wolf-woman almost saw it coming - though anyone could've heard it coming, since Andermon wasn't the greatest in sneak attacks - and threw Andermon off course by using the end of her spear to keep him at three times arm length.

"What is this, coward, hiding from your fate?" Andermon mocked.

"You will not adress me like that, Andermon." The wolf-woman smirked, "I am Terramon, and I am _not _hiding." Her eyes were startlingly calm, even though holding a spear out towards someone is enough to prove you at least are somewhat angry.

Andermon, not seeing how this could get any worse for him, decides that Terramon's spear was not an obstical. Rearing his head back, he snapped his jaw around the end of the spear, and tugged with all his might. Holding on with all her might, Terramon tries to jerk it out of Andermon's mouth, however he seems to have a strong grip on it. After much struggler, Terramon pulls it out of the monstrosity's mouth, while the monster in question roars in pain due to the fact the inside of his mouth was bleeding.

"You'll pay for that, _Terramon!_" Andermon snaps, spitting his blood onto Terramon's frame.

She looks throughly disgusted, and scowled, "And you just _HAD _to do that, didn't you?" Terramon growls, terrifying the young digimon AND the young girl. Hearing their whimpers, Terramon returns to a more poised stature, though she was quite enraged by this point.

Andermon chuckles. It was a slight chuckle, as if the woman's anger was _amusing _of all things. His people, hiding behind the woman, were traitors, so what did it matter if he terrified them more that the digimon's enemies? Remembering that his people's trechory made a hot rush go to his head, causing him to go into a fury. He stands up on his hind legs, and swings his fore claws at the digimon behind Terramon; the older digimon, the ones whose memories were really damaged. They recoiled, falling back into the forest, where the gaps between trees were too small for Andermon.

"Andermon!" Terramon spits, growingly. "Why must you bring them," She pointed back at the little digimon who weren't smart enough to hide in the brambles, "into this mess as well!?"

Andermon does not reply, as if replying was hard through clenched teeth. Instead, he began to try and charge Terramon from behind again, but right before acutally knocking into her, the grounds became cold, like wind was blowing them all over. Terramon turns to Andermon carefully; she deadpans. Brown, concerned eyes meet red, souless eyes. The wind grows stronger, colder, harsher to the point of sheer dread riding on its currents. Andermon's chuckle carries on the wind, like the wind was the product of the chuckle. And suddenly, a realization of the fact it WAS Andermon caused even the dauntless Liri to start to fear. "**Frozen Vendetta!" **The wind grows colder, frost covers the blades of grass, and winter seems to appear in a few seconds.

Terramon was obviously confused, but the freezing over was only the begining. The ice began swirl, and twirl, and shape into small crystals; the crystals become sharper, and they fly in rapid directions, and destruction ensues. The buildings begin to fall, what with being made with wood then being frozen making them brittle. Glass panes are scattered everywhere, making it dangerous to move. Covered in debris, cuts, and bruises, Terramon pulls herself up-right. _"Grotto Mandala!" _The rocks from the frozen ground fly their way towards Andermon, but nothing else.

Andermon falls back for a few moments, giving the scene a small moment of serene calm, until all of hell breaks loose. Andermon tries his intial tatic, charging in. With the wind knocked out of her, Terramon falls to her knees in front of Andermon, who raises to deliver a final slash: a death blow. "_Earth-Shattering Spear!" _At close rang, the spear head rams through Andermon, who staggers backwards, as Terramon raises to her feet for one last triumph.

"Creature of evil, be purified by the earth! Digi-Code... SCAN!"

"Loorrrriiii!" a small voice cries out from above the red-haired girl, "Wakey wakey~"

"Bah, Liri!" Lori snaps, "What did I..." She sudenly realizes that she was still standing in the Digital World, _So it wasn't a dream. Surprise surprise. _"What... Happened?"

"You turned into this warrior thing and saved us all!" Neemon adds, excitingly.

A fox-like digimon chuckles at Liri and Neemon, "You gained the ability to evolve through a D-scanner, with the Raidence Spirit of Earth." Her calm blue eyes had wisdom clearly peaking through.

"But.. Why did Andermon even attack, if you guys were his people?" Liri asks, remembering Andermon's ability to change their minds.

Tanemon steps up, "Andermon stole everyone memories, and he had us all tricked that he was our village head. We followed like moths to a flame." There is spite in her voice, "You basically freed us by destroying him!"

Lori gulps, "Destroy? As in, Kill?"

The fox with blue eyes laughs again, "Digimon don't die, they reform after a while, since we are data."

"But, uhm, why did I evolve?" Lori asks, tired of being confused.

The fox laughs again "No one knows why the spirits chose someone, they just. Do."

Neemon then blurts out, "So if Andermon WASN'T the village head, then who is?"

Tanemon rolls her eyes, "Renamon is, dufos!"

Liri looks up at the fox with blue eyes, "So, you've been leading this village?"

"For as long as I can remember." She laughs again, "Five minutes ago no one had memories."

Lori suddenly meets Renamon's eyes, both noticing that their eyes were close to the same color. Renamon nods her head, "Thank you. For destroying Andermon. If we can help you in any way, we'll do it."

Lori smiles, "You're welcome."

Tanemon hops on Renamon's shoulders, "Perhaps we should allow them to stay for the night, and give them some suplies for their journey?"

"Good idea." Renamon remarks, then shooing the creature off of her shoulder, since it took quite a lot of craining of her neck to look at her.

They all look around, at the baren destroyed landscape. A beeping noise penetrates the soft scilence, and Lori checks her pocket, the source of the noise. She clicks a button, and data is realesed. The glow blinds, then fades, and all together dissapears. The town is abolutely repaired.

"Wow. Just. Wow."


	6. Daring Rescues From Below

After a sleepless night in the village, Lori, Liri, and Neemon went on their way after thanking the digimon for their hospitality. The forest was still dense, making traveling far without tiring impossible. (In fact, it made traveling in general hard.) They trudged on, despite any logic telling them to take a break. As morning turned to midday, the trees began to thin out, the dirt became sand.

"Let's take a rest. It doesn't look like we'll get out of here soon." Liri suggested to Lori. Neemon, who had been riding on Liri's back since the time they entered the forest, jumped down, landing hard on the dusty dirt.

"Lori," He added, in a bit of a babyish tone, "If we don't stop here, we're going to end up in a desert!"

Turning around to see what the two were talking about, Lori asks, "What are you talking about?" a bit too much of repremand and agrivation in her voice.

Neemon flattened his ears back to his skull in fear, "Well, look at the dirt. It's all sandy. And the trees look deader."

Lori took a few seconds to observe, kicking the dust and picking up a dead leaf, "Though 'deader' isn't a word, he's right." She sighs, taking her palm to her forehead, "All right, let's stop for a moment."

"Hey, Lori, do you have any food?" Liri and Neemon ask simulatiously.

* * *

><p>"H-hello?" A small voice cried out into the darkness of the room, "Who's there!?"<p>

A shuffle in the room, the sound of a stone or something heavy like a stone dropping, and then a voice, stronger and darker than the first voice, "Tomoki-san? Is that you!"

The first boy sniffled, "Kouji-san? It's me!" Tomoki seemed to stand, judging by the noise he made, and tried to move closer to Kouji, only to fall, feet tangled in rope.

"Don't move. I think we've both got ourselves tied." Kouji warns, with a pang of worry in his voice.

Tomoki makes a small choking noise holding back a cry, "But why? Who would... Wait, that's a stupid question."

Kouji sighs, and laughs shakily, "If it is _them _then how did they come back? Did they mistake us for evil, are they evil, or what?"

As if on cue, light floods the room, and three figures, all a bit differing in height and size, stand shilouted in the shadows of the light. Kouji and Tomoki sheild their eyes from the over brightness. "Ah, marvelous, two are down." One with a bit of a ridiculous accent exclaims.

"That leaves three, Mercuremon." Another said, in a much darker tone, "That's still more than we have."

A female voice giggles, "Ah, ha, but it'll be as easy as grabbing these two. Entering the Digital World spiritless. I for one am insulted!"

"Calm, Ranamon, calm. At least we didn't have to pry the spirits from their hands. The fools made it easy." Mercuremon remarked, then moving to leave.

Kouji decides to work up enough courage to say something, "What do you want with us!" His voice echos for a few, dastardly long moments, until answered with a 'tsk' noise.

"What else for! To keep you out of our hair so to speak while we carry out our work!" Ranamon screams in absolute aggrivation.

The other digimon, presumably Arbormon, sighs, "Calm down, Ranamon-san."

Ranamon grabs Arbormon by the head, pulling them both out of the light, and slamming the door, bringing back the darkness. "Well that was... Random." Tomoki comments, in the vain hope of lightening the current situation.

"Tomoki-san? Do you remember getting captured?" Kouji asks, blankly.

"No... Do you, Kouji-san?" Tomoki replies, not quite getting at what Kouji was getting at.

"That's it." Kouji replies, no infliction in his voice, "I don't. Isn't that just a bit convenient?" The room was silent after that, making the dark shadows even lonlier for both.

* * *

><p>After a shorter break than Liri and Neemon wanted - and much shorter than they needed - the three began to move again. Lori headed the group, with Liri and Neemon following on the narrow pathway. Other than a wayward breeze blowing the trees, the forest was still. Even though it was only midday, and the sun was bright in the sky, the forest made everything feel terrifying. The trees blocked any light pass what was needed to see.<p>

"Lori~" Liri moans, "It's dark."

"Thank you, Captian Obvious!" Lori, obviously not amused, exclaims.

"Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lori. Lo-"

"WHAT!?"

Neemon flattens his ears back, "Your pocket is glowing."

Lori jumps back a small inch, and grabbed at her pocket - and yes, it was glowing. After a few seconds of fumbling confusion, Lori finally grabs the device from her pocket. "Chosen Children," a female voice echos through the device, "Welcome. To the Digital World."

"That's Ophanimon!~" Neemon exclaims, a big smile on his face.

"Who's Ophanimon..." Lori questions, tiredly.

"There isn't time for questions." Ophanimon answers, "There are two Chosen Children captured in a compound near here. If they remain there, they will be destroied!" Before anymore is said, the light goes dim, leaving the group to their thoughts.

"Ophanimon's talking about the original Chosen Children..." Neemon says, walking off to the north.

"Neemon, where are you going!" Liri exclaims, running after the small creature.

Lori, noticing the two's absence, runs after the two, wondering why they had to pick the route filed with vines and roots. She almost fell at every turn, further complicated by her red hairs getting stuck into branches.

Liri and Neemon had their share problems: Liri, what with wearing flats, at various points had her shoes try to slip off, and at one point she even lost a shoe. Her pigtails kept her out of the 'hair in the branches' situation, however. Neemon, despite knowing the territory, fell over every vine. He did not seem to be a coordinated Digimon, that was obvious.

* * *

><p>"Tomoki-san?" Kouji demands, "Do you hear that?"<p>

"Sounds like breathing." Tomoki remarks, "I figured it was you."

Kouji sighs, "Right, right..."

"Kouji-san, you're thinking, aren't you?" Tomoki remarks.

* * *

><p>Lori and Liri ran faster towards the north, following the racing Neemon. Hir previous guess was proven very correct, for soon after the trees cleared out completely, the dirt turned to sand, wind and sun pressing hard against them. Building in the distance, a compound made of dark metal began to become more and more visible as they got closer.<p>

"This must be where those kids are." Lori observed, sheilding her eyes from the blinding sun.

Liri, pulling at the edges of her leggings, smiles lightly to calm her sister, "It'll go right. I can feel it~"

Lori sighs, a growing pit of worry making its place in her stomach. She turns to the two, "I'm going get in and get out quick, got it? I want you to stay here, and stay out of sight."

Hugging Lori's leg for a moment, Neemon smiles up at her, "I'll make sure we hide!" He complied, running back towards the forest.

"Lo-_ri!_" Anger had risen in the young girl's voice, echoing across the desert, "You can't go in there alone!"

Lori got down on her knees to look her sister in the eyes, "Listen to me. I have a spirit to protect me. You and Neemon won't be protected in there. That forest is safe if you stay vigilant." Liri still stared at Lori's crystal eyes, lavender anger, "Listen, I'm tasking you with protecting Neemon."

Liri perked up, "All right!" She then hugged her step-sister, "Come back safe!" She ran off to catch up with Neemon, disappearing from her sister's sight. Lori stood, wiping the sand off her black pants. After Liri completely left the horizon, Lori grabbed her D-Scanner.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!

* * *

><p>"Kouji-san!" Tomoki exclaimed, "Did you hear that!?" Excitement had raised in the boys voice.<p>

Kouji took in a deep breath, "Yes, why?" He replied, trying to keep calm. The sounds of someone evolving echoed in his ears.

"Do you think..." Tomoki trailed off, to hear the sound of shuffling.

* * *

><p>Terramon had snuck in from underground. Tunnels already criss-crossed underneath, and she followed until she found one that led up. Emerging in what looked like an empty room, static played. A figure stood in front of a mirror, back turned to Terramon. To her luck, the mirror he was looking through did not reflect her image, but instead played the static she heard. Unsure what to do, she stood watching the figure. He cursed, saying, "Where is it!"<p>

Trying to move silently, Terramon was almost clearly out of the room when the static in the mirror cleared, and the figure spotted her refelction. He turned, and was suddenly aware that he had an intruder on his hands. "Another human, I assume?" He asks, a dark infliction in his tone. He knew the answer, for Terramon did not reply, "Marevelous. Another spirit to contibute."

Without concern for how much sound she made, Terramon began to move the ground around her to block the pasageway's door. With the door blocked, and Mercuremon cursing, Terramon began to run, as the ground underneath her turned to metal. Surrounded by doors, a relization hit Terramon that this was where the other Chosen Children were being kept.

* * *

><p>"Tomoki-san, did you hear that?" Kouji asks quietly, fiddling with something in his hands.<p>

"It sounded like someone throwing rocks." Tomoki observed.

"And whom do we know with that power?" Kouji was quick to point out.

Tomoki sighed, "Funnnn."

* * *

><p>"<em>Damn this door!<em>" Terramon exclaimed. She had heard the Chosen Children's shuffling in the cell, but the door did not want to budge. Unable to keep calm, she rammed her spear straight through the door. She heard a collective gasp from the other side of the door, and finally, pulled the metal door open.

"That's not..." The younger boy exclaimed, but was cut off by the boy siting next to him, given a look that stated be quiet.

Instantly, Terramon took out her claws. The older boy with raven-blue hair expected to be torn to shreds, but instead felt the ropes around his arms and legs fall off him. The noise of slashing came again, and the younger boy was free as well.

"Come on." Terramon urged, helping both boys stand up. She began to walk out of the cell, signaling for them to follow as she ripped the spear out of the door.

"Wait." Kouji replied, "Just who in Hell are you?"

Terramon turned, "Lori."

* * *

><p>As they worked their way around the metal tunnels, they slipped past many guards, but could not escape without incident. Inable to reaccess the tunnels, Terramon led the group towards what she believed was an exit. Waiting there was, surprise surprise, Mercuremon and Ranamon. Tauntingly, Ranamon held Kouji's spirit in her hands, "Come here, little boy, I've got something you want~" She chimed.<p>

Mercuremon laughed at the trio's helplessness. He began to walk away, then turning to say, "Kill them, Ranamon."

Ranamon giggled, and lunged towards Tomoki, planing to take out the small boy first. She was intercepted by a wall of earth. Turning angerly to Terramon, she held a black rain cloud in the palm of her hand, "_Jelousy Rain!_" The cloud spouted towards Terramon, who was not pleased about getting wet. She moved slower, much slower.

"You see, child, even you aren't immune to my power." Ranamon chimed, but her gloating was short lived. She still held the spirit of Light in her hands, and it was becoming increasingly more bright - as in, glowing - as she moved closer to Kouji. The spirit knew its weilder.

Seizing one oppritunity, Terramon threw the spear she held, knocking the spirit from Ranamon's theiving hands. Almost intstantly, the D-Scanner clutched in Kouji's hands emited a light, to catch the spirit as it fell. Bright, white light covered the passage way, and the scilence was deafening.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Lobomon, The Legendary Warrior of Light, stood beside Terramon, as she over-looked this evolution. Ranamon did not over-look Lobomon, for fear raised in her red eyes. Instead of fighting, she fled into the darkness, but only for a few moments. She reapeared down the hallway, with a figure standing next to her.

This figure had red eyes, cruel and apathetic. Those eyes seemed to be some of the only parts of this figure's body that was visible. Ranamon, a cruel smirk on her lips, informed something to the figure, and he nodded.

The trio were now visibly disturbed, unsure if this new figure was to kill them or capture them. Terramon turned to Lobomon, with a look of curiosity on her face. "We need to get out of here." He whispered to her.

Terramon whispered back, "What about-" She was cut short when Lobomon covered her mouth with his hand.

"I'll explain when it's safer." He grabed Tomoki - for he could not run as fast as the Digimons - and began to run. Terramon, though unsure, followed just a quickly, if a bit slower.

At one point, she looked back, to see if it was safe to walk. Instead of an empty passageway, she saw Duskmon, both swords drawn, running after the three. At that, she began creating as many obstcales as possible behind her, from walls of earth to simpily following her friend's shap turns.

Finally, after being chased through the compound, they reach the earthen room where Terramon had entered. Mercuremon no longer stood in there, and there was no static from a mirror. The entrance to the tunnels had been left, untouched, as it was when she had entered.

The trio was breathing heavily, out of wind as a result of being chased down the passageways, forced to make unnecisary turns to try and confuse their persuer. Duskmon entered through the large entranceway, panting as heavily as the Chosen Children he was chasing. The dawn's sunshine entered through Ranamon's look-out windows. It has been mid-evening when Terramon had entered. Duskmon stood in the shadows of the door, not entering the light filled room.

Instead of standing in shock of Duskmon's refusal to chase them farther, Terramon jumped into the tunnelways, Lobomon following in shock. She decided that now was the time to tamper with the entrance. The earth moved at her will, causing the hole that led to the tunnels to close.

"Well, Wolfy, explain why we aren't fighting that... Thing?" Terramon demanded.

Lobomon looked at her shock, "Listen, Tails, he's not a normal opponent that a Human spirit could destroy. That's Duskmon!" Tomoki flinched at the name, "He could kill both of us easily. Without trying!"

Terramon nodded her head, "Let's get out of here then. It sounds like a good idea to get of here fast."

* * *

><p>It was mid-morning when they finally reached the forest where Liri and Neemon hid. Lobomon and Terramon were both exaughsted, Terramon more visibly so. She had been evolved since the evening before, and had not slept either. She instantly shifted back into her human form, only to black out the second her feet touched the ground.<p>

"What happened!?" Liri exclaimed after introductions went around.

"A lot, Liri." Tomoki explained, as clear as mud.

Neemon sat on Kouji's lap, "Now there's four of us here~ Five if you count me~" He seemed to be falling asleep.

Lori began to rouse herself, "I guess we better get going." She told them, as soon as the boys introduced themselves.

Kouji admited, "You know, Tails, you just might be right."

_**Authour's Note: 'Ello, guys~ Sooo, why is no one reading?Are my chapters bad? **_

_**Meaning of Nicknames:**_  
><em><strong>Tails: Terramon is a Wolf-like digi with a tail, unlike many others.<strong>_  
><em><strong>Wolfy: My personal nickname for Kouji. JUST CAUSE~<strong>_

_**Love you guys, please read and review!**_


	7. Stupid Plans

"Duskmon!"

That exclaimation echoes through the woods. It carried on four voices, two girls, two boys. It carried itself to the ears of four other Chosen Children. As soon as they heard the word, they ran, as quickly as possible.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

The Chosen Children's words fell on Duskmon's ears this time. He knew that he was looking at one set of Chosen Children, but they had not evolved. No, there was another set rushing in, in response to hearing the original exclamation. Duskmon knew they would have no plan. Though they made stupid plans anyhow.

* * *

><p><em>After being defeated one time, Duskmon had sworn vengence on any Chosen Child he crossed. The first sign that they were back were the reports of Vilarimon, a Symbolic Human-Spirit Warrior. Supposedly, she symbolized determination. Within days of that report was the rumor that Fullimon, another Symbolic Human-Spirit Warrior, was traveling along side her. According to legend, she symbolized willpower. Only humans could take their spirits, so his want for vengence and hatred of humans told him to chase them down.<em>

_They were not trying to hide. Vilarimon had flaming wings, and very often - when questioned - Digimon said they had seen a flaming streak on the sky. It was not very hard to catch up._

_When found, they put up quite a fight. It had been a while since his swords had tasted battle. He was eager. Fullimon, as it turns out, was much more subtle than her partner. What had shocked Duskmon the most, was the fact she used the element of darkness! Darkness was his territory. While Vilarimon had quite prefered attacking relentlessly, her plan was non-exisistant. Despite this, she had put up a good fight before retreating to where her friend lay._

_Fullimon, however, did have a plan. As she neared defeat, both realised the stupidity of it. Using shadows against the Warrior of Darkness. So she manipulated the night's shadows and disappeared with her partner. _

* * *

><p>Before reaction could be taken, two warriors entered the encampment. Duskmon could sense a third and forth person, could sense Tomoki and Liri hiding in the bushes. It was still the dark of night, and very clearly, a bright figure rushed towards Duskmon, the sounds of swords clashing.<p>

Takuya and Ren meet gazes, and for the first time, were agreeing about their situation. They agreed: They needed to evolve.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Suddenly, the fight seemed to be between three parties. Aguamon and Agnimon appeared to be more digimon trying to attack them to Terramon and Lobomon, whilst Terramon's and Lobomon's look of anger at them made Aguamon and Agnimon believe that they were on the side of Duskmon. Duskmon silently took advantage of this situation, disappearing back into the shadows, allowing the four to fight.

_Slash!_ The spear of the Earth warrior slyly took out Agnimon's footing. "_Grotto Mandala!_" The rocks flew at Agnimon, as he scrambeled to his feet. When the barage ended, Agnimon decided it was his turn to attack:

"SALAMANDER BREAK!"

The fire licked at Terramon's skin, but it was not the flame that injured her. No, it was the impact of Agnimon's foot in her ribcage, that was her injury. Winded, she remembered that Lobomon was still fighting.

Aguamon was having just as much luck as Terramon. Lobomon was much faster than her, even with her increased speed. Every time she dodged one blow, she had to block another with her trident, which was becoming less durable as the fight wore on.

"**Licht Sieger**!"

Dodging the glowing blade by mere inches, Aguamon was finally beginging to get desprate. Knowingly out of her element in the forest, she swung her trident. Lobomon took his sword, and blocked.

Agnimon and Aguamon were previously exaughsted, still a bit reeling from the horror of seeing Kazemon getting - for lack of better words - slaughtered. Hercmon had been destroyed by Duskmon without a thought, reminding them of how hopelessly bleak this fight looked. Now they had two more digimon attacking.

Seeing as Aguamon was at least not going to attack, Lobomon rushed at Agnimon, and was within inches of attacking when a gust of wind knocked him back to a tree.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Kazemon, her voice sounding battered, screams, "Kouji, you idiot!"

Duskmon's plan had one fatal flaw: Kouji, Takuya, and Izumi all knew each other. Though the dark scenery had covered their appearances for quite some time, the light of Lobomon's sword had revealed all. Now able to see much better, for their eyes had adjusted to the light, they saw that they were looking at their old friends.

While confusion was strown about for only a few short seconds, Duskmon was able to take advantage of the situation. He was much faster than any of the Chosen Children's reaction time. By the time they noticed him, he had taken their footing out and still had time to get far away from their weapon range. The scene had layed out as thus:

The previous encampement spread out over a large amount of territory. The edges were surrounded by hedges, shrubs, and what looked like an impassable line of trees. To the east - the general direction that Ren, Takuya, Izumi, Junpei and Bokomon had came from - Junpei had hid, along with Bokomon. To the west - again, generally where Lori, Liri, Kouji, Tomoki, and Neemon had head towards the scene from - Lori and Tomoki hid, quietly trying to calm poor Neemon. The south of the encampment was covered in shadows, presumably where Duskmon had entered from. He now blocked the north escapeway.

Littered across the encampment, all Chosen Children knew it was best to run. With the passage way they were going to take blocked, the only way to go was back south, an area that all children had covered, east and west respectively. Duskmon knew he made their choices of escape hard. Flame Terminal blocked their way around this area, thus the only path they could take was the desert pass, in which Mercuremon and his cronies had total and utter control over. They had to fight him to escape.

And Duskmon was smug about it. With cruelty glinting in his red eyes, another plan formulated. While on the ground, trying to regain genreal feeling, the Chosen Children were helpless. He had to kill them while they were down, starting with the one who had killed him the first time: Lobomon. The early morning sun would raise quickly, as it did this time of year, and Duskmon would have no choice but to flee. Lobomon was the closest to where he stood, and Duskmon did have Kazemon's unleashed anger to thank for that.

Lobomon groaned. Still down, he felt something sticky slide down his forehead. He didn't want to know. Looking at the dark night, he heard Duskmon's approach. Suddenly, a new energy surged through him. He could not stop Duskmon, but perhaps slow him? So, with that thought in mind, he pulled one of his swords out and swung, when... __

_Clang!_

The swords caught together, when another Chosen Child began to come to. Aguamon, on the south-eastern side of the clearing, softly made a small noise, like a squeak of hiding pain. In thralled to their fight, Lobomon and Duskmon hardly noticed the movement or the noise. However, that did not stop the other children from noticing. The first to stand was Terramon. The two warriors looked at each other inquistively, as if to say _Are you thinking what I'm thinking? _Kazemon quickly followed, and although she was covered in cuts, her own blood, and bruises, she seemed to be eager to fight.

Agnimon, however, was in no shape to move. He stared at the three, unable to move at all without assistance. "What should we do with him?" Terrramon mouths, trying to keep Duskmon unaware of their recovering.

"I'll take him into the brush and hide." Kazemon mouthed, "Can't fight anyhow, a bit too weak." Silently, she lightly picked up Agnimon, they limped to the brush, and disapeared into its leaves.

With her mask over her mouth, Aguamon was unable to talk without drawing attention to her and Terramon. So, without any true plan other than get Lobomon out of that situation, they attempted to rush at Duskmon.

By the time the girls had thought of fighting, Lobomon had to use both swords, full strength behind them, barely keeping Duskmon's sword - singular - from slicing through his flesh. Duskmon was not even trying to win. It was like the previous times fighting him. As Terramon's spear swung towards him, Duskmon moved slyly. Swinging his other sword towards the warrioress, the first peak of sunlight began to shine through the trees. Now was the time to flee.

With his leave, all of the Chosen Children gathered in the clearing, along with Bokomon and Neemon. Tiredly, they shifted to human form. All sitting on the ground, introductions flew around quickly, names mumbled. "So, Wolfy," Lori mumbled, with a tired expression on her face, "What do you make of this amazingly impossible situation?"

Kouji, rubbing his eyes tiredly, stared at the others for moment, thinking, "The fact that Duskmon is back is not good, obviously. Last time we were here, he had defeated us when we had Beast Spirits." He deadpanned quickly, "Now three of us don't even have Human Spirits."

Liri looked inquisitive, "Human Spirits and Beast Spirits?" She questioned, "I thought they were just Spirits!"

Bokomon propped his book up in front of him, "Ahem!" He cleared his throat, "For those who don't know, Spirits are divided into two types. The Human Spirits, the less powerful of the two, are in your posession now. Beast Spirits are much more powerful, and have been known to cause disasters around the areas they are hidden at." Mumbling, he added, "Or the Beast Spirit itself causes a disaster."

Takuya looked a bit distraught, "The worst part: Duskmon is a Human-Level Spirit."

Izumi shuddered, "I remember that. I hadn't even fought him... But I saw the destruction. It was awful." She shut her eyes, tiredly.

"I remember that too..." Junpei admits, "I thought that he had won and we were all going to be dead..." He suddenly sits up straight, "But, Kouji an' Takuya beat him last time, riiighht!?"

Tomoki shook his head, "But Takuya and Kouji had Double Spirit Forms then!" He reminded.

"Double Spirit?" Ren asks, a tiny bit of curiousity inflicted in her voice.

Bokomon sighed, "Double Spirit Form is when a special power is given to someone with both the Human and the Beast Spirits. It was a miracle that Takuya and Kouji were able to use it to save themselves. And us, if I'm not mistaken."

Neemon poked Bokomon's head, "Wonder what would've happened if they hadn't?"

Bokomon showed alarm, "NO I MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT!" He snapped the waistband of Neemon's pants, like old times.

No one was laughing, however, for Takuya then added, "Even with the Double Spirit Evolution, it still took two of us, and we barely won."

Everyone looked at the ground, not wanting to continue the conversation. A few minutes passed, as the trees stired with movement. As long as it was daylight, they were safe.

"Who is Cherubimon?" Lori asked, to interrupt the scilence.

Junpei explained, "When we first came here about two years ago, Cherubimon was a puppet of Lucemon. He started a huge war between the Human-Like and Beast-like Digimon untill there wasn't much left. The Digital World was shatered."

"When we started repairing the place, Cherubimon sent his warriors after us," Izumi continued, "Ranamon, Grumblemon, Arbormon, and Mercuremon." She listed each one with a dark look on her face, "One by one, however, they were destroied."

Kouji shuddered, "Then Duskmon came in. We were about to take Arbormon's spirit, when he just _kills _his ally, like it didn't matter. He basically swatted us around like flies."

"And the worst part of it all was: He was human. Like the rest of us!" Tomoki exclaims, "I couldn't believe until I saw him in human form myself!"

Liri was now very interested, "So, who was he in human form?"

Kouji said something under his breath, and then said, "My brother. Don't ask."

No one did.

"But, anyhow, Cherubimon is, by definition, one of the Three Celestrial Angels, the creators of the spirits. I have no doubt that he is corupted at this very moment." Bokomon caught the worried looks of the children, "He is probably storing power right now, waiting until the right time. He was always using others to do his work."

Lori shook back a chill, "So, wait, what happens if we scan Duskmon?"

Takuya answered this time, "Well, he turns back to human form, and his spirits begin to purify. No death involved, thankfully." He was quick to add the last part.

"So, basically, Duskmon is Kouji's brother, and he's more powerful than anything short of a _damn_ miracle?" Ren spat, anger infused in her words, subtle as so the others wouldn't detect it.

Kouji and Takuya nodded, "Pretty much."

Lori groaned, "We are so doomed."

* * *

><p>It was noon before they were disturbed again. A digimon ran towards them from the north, panting as he stopped right before them. "Humans!" He exclaimed, the blue of his skin covered in mucky dirt.<p>

Bokomon stood in shock, "Sorcermon!" He walked over to his friend, "What happened?"

Sorcermon, a small blue-skinned digimon with blueish-green eyes and white robes, panted heavily before speaking, "Some soilder digimon are attacking our refugee camp! They're relentless!"

Takuya instantly stood, "You guys up to fight!?" He exclaimed, firey and hot-blooded as always.

However, the other Chosen Children were reluctant. Scraps, bruises, cuts, and an assortment of other injuries may have been healed up all ready, but they're hopes were not as high as the firey boy. "Takuya." Ren growled, "May I speak to you alone?"

As Ren began to walk away, Takuya followed hesitantly, confused and just a bit annoyed at Ren's apathy. While standing in another clearing, it was obvious that Ren had a differing opinion about this fight.

"Well, what do you want?" Takuya asked, wondering why Ren hadn't said anything. Rage at the girl was clear from his voice, and his stature did not help. His fists were clenched argerly by his side, scowling, glaring daggers at the girl.

"Do you have any common sense in that thick head of yours?" Ren asked, inflictionlessly. Despite how cruel and angry the words meant, she did not sound mad. She sounded... Emotinless.

At that, Takuya shouted at her, "What, just because I want to help someone in trouble makes me an idiot!? I was the one who saved this place with the others two years ago, not you!"

Ren shut her eyes in frustration. Her voice not matching her anger, she replied calmly with, "I'm not implying that. I mean do you think it's wise to charge into a camp filled with digimon who could kill us very easily if they mistook us for the opposing side?"

"If we're with Sorcermon, then we'll have a lot of allies helping us defeat them!" Takuya exclaimed, "It's not like only four of us will be fighting!"

Ren sighed, "Fine." She began to walk past Takuya, "If I die, I will blame you, Takuya." She stated mater-of-factly, like the possibility didn't concern her.

* * *

><p>Sorcermon was on the verge of breaking down when Takuya and Ren returned, "So, will you help me?" He asked, oh so hastily.<p>

Ren and Takuya look at each other. Ren sighs, and nods her head. "I suppose we are."

Takuya looked eager, "Well, then, let's get going to this camp, eh!?"

* * *

><p>Sorcermon lead the group north for a few hours, and the sun had just begun to set when they reached the camp. It was in dissary, with groans of pain everywhere. A digimon similar to Sorcermon walked up to him, his face drawn with anguish.<p>

"What has happened?" Concern. Sorcermon.

"We barely fought them off." Saddened. Wizardmon, "They sent out their largest warrior, who basically gave us until sun down to find him a worthy opponent. If we can get him down, they'll stop this madness."

Takuya looked at everyone there, "All of us are too beat up to fight him, aren't we?" he said, finger tracing the bruises on his arm.

Liri, impudent and fearless, stood up, "I'll do it!" she exclaimed, with a new hope in her eyes.

"No." Izumi growled, "You don't have a spirit."

Lori instantly finished her, "I wouldn't let you anyhow. Liri, you're too young to do that."

Liri protested, "Lori! I can do this!"

Sorcermon patted Liri's shoulder, "No, I wouldn't ask that of any of you. We can find someone." he turned to Wizardmon, "Where is Witchmon? This would be much easier if she were here."

Wizardmon shook his head, "She is out dealing in the KamiKaze territory. No one else was brave enought to go."

Sorcermon nodded, "What about Mermamon? Surely she hasn't left yet."

"Something on the Island of Hopes and Dreams is missing, she went to see what it was." Wizardmon responded.

"The thing missing wouldn't happen to be a Spirit, would it?" Ren asked suddenly.

"Yes, why? Who told you?" Wizardmon narrowed his eyes.

"Ease up there." Takuya replied, "Ren has the spirit. No worries, right?"

Sorcermon looked relieved, "Thank goodness. Something has gone right."

"Where's Liri?" Neemon announced, noticing that the young blonde had slipped away. Somewhere in the crowd of still standing refugees, Liri was racing to find this digimon who challenged them. In her heart, she knew that she was the one to kill this monster.

"Liri!" Lori exclaimed, running into the crowd without a thought. She dashed, pushing her way through the crowd. Liri had ran far ahead, almost at the bridge that seperated the two camps. Something large and green stood right dead in the middle, ready for his opponent.

"So," he cackled, "The sun is almost down! Have you found me an opponent!" his voice was filled with hisses, anger heavily influenced on his words, "Or are your numbers too scared to face me?!" he taunted.

"Snimon!" Bokomon cried, terror in his eyes.

"Bokomon!" Snimon hissed, "Are you the opponent they sent!" He laughed, terrifying the refugees, "Pathetic!"

Liri was finally at the bridge, and looked very determined, "He's not!" Everyone turned to her, with surprise in their eyes, "I am!"

Snimon took a step closer to the camp, "Oh really?" He then shouts so loud that Wizardmon and Sorcermon could hear, "You foolish wizards, you send a human child to defeat me!"

"They're not foolish." Liri growls, something changing in her violet eyes, "And I am not just a human." She was bluffing, of course. She was hoping, that somehow, her spirit was here and that her show of courage would help the spirit come to her.

"So you say." Snimon retorted, "You imply you have a Warrior Spirit. Show it to me. Evolve." he demanded, waiting for a few moments, then laughing, "You're lying. I hate humans. Espically those who lie!" Cries of refugess fill the digimon's ears, causing him to smirk, "**SHADOW SICKLE!**"

The long blades knocked the breath out of Liri, throwing her to the middle of the encampment, hitting a large tree. Ivy encircled the tree trunk, and suddenly, the leaves began to change color. As the vines changed, Liri began to open her eyes. Instead of the soft violet, her eyes were a hard green color.

Finally, a beam of light completely blinded anyone in the vincinity of the tree, except for Liri. After a moment, she realized it was she who was glowing. In front of her, stood the reason why. A Spirit, with a likeness of a young woman. White hair, and a white cat-tail, along with the cat ears to match.

The spirit projected its true image for a moment. Yes, in fact, she did look like a young woman of Liri's sister's age, with the white hair and ears. A wooden top, with a petal skirt decorated her armour. Underneath the skirt was armour, possibly made of leather. Her skin was tanned, and whips of thorny vines were clutched in her hands. Big, green eyes, like the one's Liri's had turned into.

"Spirit Evolution!"

Ivymon stood at the bridge. The sun was almost down, and Snimon was impatient. "Well, girl, it seems you _do_ have a spirit! How invigorating. I haven't fought a Warrior before." He was sarcastic in his words. Liri was still a young child, after all.

Ivymon was not pleased, "You do not seem to know when respect is meant to be given. You will not call me 'girl'. I am Ivymon."

Snimon smirked, "Well, then, Ivymon, let us battle!" He rushed at Ivymon, twin scythes at the ready.

"_Petal Dance!" _An array of flower petals flew at Snimon, with deadly sharpness. Snimon winces, retreating upwards, away from the deadly plant mass. "Snimon, are you still going to fight!?" She goaded.

"**TAI ATARI!**" Snimon moved to slam Ivymon into the ground, but she had moved quickly, avoiding the deadly blow by a few inches. Snimon got up, and began swinging his scythes, "Are you reatreating!?"

Taking a deep breath, Ivymon knew she had to focous. Sure, her facade of calmness was fading, but she could still finish Snimon off, correct? Hopeful, Ivymon took one more deep breath, "_Posionous Rose!_" She swung her vines, allowing the thorn to implant itself into Snimon's forehead, fractal code finally showing.

"_Creature of pure malice, be purified by the flower! Digi-Code, SCAN!"_

* * *

><p>By the next day, all eight digi-destined were healed up, and still reeling from the long events from yesterday. Lori had refused to let her sister out of her sight, for fear she'd do something as stupid at what she had just done.<p>

_"Lori," Liri began, "I'm fine, Snimon's gone, let go of me!" She had screamed, while her sister held her in a tough embrace._

_Lori sighed, "Don't do anything stupid like that again!" She repremanded, then smiling, "Nice job, by the way."_

_Liri had felt proud in that moment._

"We need to alert Witchmon that the Humans are back." Wizardmon explained, as the group began to leave, "So I'll go out to meet Mermamon as she returns to the Terra Continent, and then we'll regroup in the Forest Kingdom's Awakening Castle."

"Well, we're not very sure where that is." Izumi explained.

"I was not finished." Wizardmon snapped, "Sorcermon will guide you there." Wizardmon rose to leave, but then turned, "Safe travels, Chosen Children." He then turned to the other refugees, "Here's to the end of this War!" Everyone, even the children - yes, even Ren - cheered with hope in their eyes.

_**Author's Note (Fan Fiction People Only) A-OK~ Longest chapter ever, but heck, I GOT IT DONE IN LIKE TWO WEEKS TOPS... Perhaps I should work harder. Anywho, I do post this on DeviantART as well, so you will now recieve drawing links (I do drawings to depict moi's favorite scene, but I never acutally post them...)**_

_**Sincerely, Agua-san.**_


	8. Hope It Doesn't End Them

After traveling no more than a few hours at the most, the children and their new addition Sorcermor had to stop. It was a bengin force, for the Chosen Children's sake; a large river that was raging too quickly for them to swim across. They sat near the trees, silently grateful for this bengin break from walking - for these breaks were usually destructive at best. For a few moments, they all mused on the situation in their minds, but soon someone spoke up:

"What are we to do?" Soercermon asks point-blankly, startling a few of the children.

Bokomon pitches an idea first, "What if Kazemon carried us over there one-by-one?"

Instantly, Izumi speaks up, "I suppose that could work..." She glances at Junpei, "But even in my Digimon form, I could barely carry Tomoki." It was obvious she was padding this as so not to insult anyone.

Tomoki nods his head, agreeing, "Sorry, Bokomon, doesn't look like it'll work."

Bokomon sighs, "Can't say I didn't try." he slumped over in dismay, frowning at his pink himaki.

Takuya patted his friend on the back, "It's all right, it's not like we haven't had our own bad idea-" A dark glare from Kouji cut him off, reminding him that at least Bokomon's plan wasn't potentally leathal. Lori and Liri glanced around, unsure why the glance cut him off.

"All rivers end somewhere, right?" Ren suddenly asks, blankly and apatheticly ending the scilence.

Kouji gives her a quizical look, then replies, "Yeah, and how is that helpful?"

Just as Ren opens her mouth to speak, Junpei jumps in for her, "I think was Ren is saying is that if we follow the river up-stream, we'll either reach the end or a crossable point. Am I right?"

Ren nods her head at Junpei, mumbling, _"_

_Yo iba a decir que de todos modos, idiota." _Or, for those who can not understand Spanish, "_I was going to say that anyhow, idiot."_

"Would that work?" Liri questions.

Lori, ever the geography genius, instantly crushes this plan, "If you go up-stream you're very likely to just hit an ocean, however," the second 'however' came out of her mouth, everyone began to listen, "if we follow the current, we might find a lake or the mouth of the river."

"Won't the mouth just empty into another ocean, though?" Izumi points out.

"Not nesiscarly, it may go into a slower, calmer river or just kinda... End." Lori informs, "So, do we have a plan or no?" she targeted the question towards Takuya and Ren, who seemed to have been appointed unoffical leaders of the eight.

Kouji inspired a lucky peice of logic, "It can be days until we actually reach that point though, Tails, and for all we know, we're heading into a trap of some sort." He added in an especially low tone, "We just barely escaped with our lives last time. What if we're not so lucky this time?"

"Good point, Wolfy." Lori admits, with a bit of annoyance at Kouji.

Takuya jumped in, "But, maybe we can avoid that." Everyone turned to him, expecting him to plan something, "If we sleep during the day and travel at night, we can be more vigilant if some creature of the night attacks us. We won't be groggy from just waking up, or tired from not sleeping."

Izumi suddenly asked, with worry on her face, "But some digimon could still attack with the sun up. Wouldn't it be safer if we had someone gaurd for a bit of the time, then switch out with someone else?"

Ren nods her head, "That's a good idea, Izumi."

Junpei adds, "I think that there should be two of us awake at all times, just to be on the safe side. If one falls asleep, we still have someone looking out for us."

Neemon decides that this was the time to add in a joke, "Well, as long as Takuya's asleep, we never have to worry about sleeping because we won't get any!" The group laughs, only for it to die down in a few seconds.

Takuya yawns and stretches upward, only to fall back onto a tree, "Well, who's gonna' do it first?"

Junpei adds, "Since it was Izumi-chan's idea, I say she gets first turn."

Snidely, the girl in question adds in, "And, Junpei-san, because you added in there being two people, you get to help out too."

Kouji nods his head, "And it's decided," He yawns, "Damn, Takuya, your yawning is contagious."

Tomoki also yawns, "All this yawning is making me tired..." he slips asleep, while sitting straight up-right.

Before too long, everyone except Izumi, Junpei, and Sorcermon was asleep, lying on the grass. Takuya's snoring permeates the area, causing great annoyance in the three awake to hear it. "_Dannazione,_ Takuya snores loud!" Izumi exclaims, 'dannazione' beign Italian for 'damn'.

Junpei, oblvious to Izumi's curse, agrees, "I don't know what 'dannazione' means, but you are right. It might be a good thing, considering I'm about to fall asleep..." His head droops, only for Takuya's loud snores to suddenly wake him. "See." he remarks.

Izumi giggles, "This time in the digital world is much more dangerous." she remarks, almost scarily.

"Yeah... You're right, again." he smiles, "But, hey, we did it the first time, so you never know."

Izumi nodded her head, "Yeah, I suppose, Junpei-san, but we'd have to be _extremely_ lucky."

Junpei sighed, "Must you be right? All. the. time?"

Izumi giggled again, smiling for a moment, "Well, I wouldn't want to be wrong all the time." she laughs, then quiets down, staring at the river, rushing, gushing. "We couldn't be in a worse situation, could we?"

"Actually, I think we could." Junpei remarks, "I mean, we're all still alive, and there isn't an enemy trying to kill us or something..." He trailed off, seeing a large shadow move towards them with deadly speed, "Speak of the Devil." he bemoans.

"Should we wake the others up?" Izumi whispered, pulling herself a bit behind the bigger boy.

Junpei nods his head, "Yeah, this could get bad quick." He instantly turns to the eight asleep - six children and two digimon - and whispers, "Wake up!"

Lori and Kouji instantly snap up, awake. Worried, Lori shakes her sister's shoulders, and meets pale violet eyes filled with confusion, "Lori... What's.." Liri trails off, seeing the figure, "Tomoki!" She hisses, shaking the boy, hardly caring if he got hurt.

"That's everyone, right?" Kouji asks, counting the number of heads that snapped up. Neemon and Bokomon looked cautiously around, then gasping.

"Ren and Takuya!" Bokomon exclaims, rushing to the two still unconscious.

Both the firey boy and the cold girl were unreachable. They grimaced in their sleep, as if something was absolutely horrifying. Takuya's gloved hand held down hard on blades of grass; Ren had her left arm in a death grip.

Izumi rushed over to the two, "This is baadd!" She exclaims, "They aren't going to wake up!" She looks up, "And that digimon is getting closer..." She trails off, worry set deep in her pale face, in her green eyes.

Junpei sighed, staring longfully at his D-Scanner, "Izumi, I'll stay back with Tomoki and make sure these two stay protected. You, Lori, Liri, and Kouji can take care of that Digimon if it turns out to be hostile." He sighed again, trying to not let disappointment show on his face. He couldn't fight these battles anymore.

Kouji nodded his head, "But let's hope it doesn't come to that." he sadfully lowers his head, grabbing his D-Scanner, just in case.

As it turned out, the digimon running towards them was smaller than it appeared, being only half of the size of the children. It was a blue-ish color, almost having camoflage skin. It carried a small weapon for protection. It wore heavy, NCIS-like armour. "... Who is that!" He exclaims, pointing the weapon at the children.

Kouji steps up, "We're the Chosen Children." His reply was much calmer than he.

The digimon smiles and sighs, "Thank goodness." He suddenly sees Ren and Takuya in the back, "Oh... What happened to them?" He walks over to the two outcold.

"We don't know..." Bokomon remarks, "They just won't wake up!"

Everyone suddenly quieted down, hearing the moans of the two outcold. "Something must be wrong..." Sorcermon remarks, "I've never seen someone be in pain while sleeping."

Izumi looked at Takuya, his head in her lap. He grimaced, grabbing more blades of grass as something to hold to. In the back of her mind, Izumi believed Takuya was trying to hold onto something physical as a balance to his pain, so she took his hand in her's, which he promptly held harder than anything he had ever held. It was all Izumi could do to not wince.

Tomoki looked after Ren. Despite when awake Ren was cold and apathetic to everything, Ren now had a painfully clear look of worry and a mixture of fear. Knuckles white from clenching her left arm, the edges of the scar on her arm showed, though, thankfully, no one actually cared to look. "_Ryoumi..._" she whispered, silently.

"This is bad..." Liri repeats Izumi's earlier fear.

"Very..." Neemon remarks.

Junpei sighs, "This is not good. Not only are they possibly being killed in their sleep, but there are five million _other_ possibilites that could be happening!" He exclaims, tired of the madness that the Digital World had brought on them. He felt worry growing in the pit of his stomach for the two outcold, anger at whatever did this to them, and fear that someone else was next. His head pounded.

"We can't do this..." Kouji remarks, shutting his eyes tiredly, a creepily dark aura surrounding him, "We... Just can't. It's too much." his eyes were such a blank color that it was unnatural.

The digimon is shocked, "What is wrong with him!" he exclaims, pulling his weapon up.

"Kouji!" Lori growls, "Wolfy!" She slaps his face hard, the aura disapating as she drove her bare hand, hard, his eyes returning to normal... For a moment.

Soon after, the aura returned, and Kouji tackled Lori, knocking her D-Scanner much past her reach. He swings a punch at the girl, and she, in return, attempts to slap him again. He is unfazed. They fight on the ground, most everyone too shocked to intervene. As if to end the fight permanetly, Kouji places his hands around Lori's throat, and almost begins to choke her. Almost.

Lori was quite lucky to have a little sister in this moment. Liri sprung on Kouji, knocking him off her sister. Before he could fight the small girl, Junpei pulls him off her, held up by his neck. He kicked and squirmed, but Junpei _was _quite strong. Lori picks herself up, coughing.

"This is offically insane..." Tomoki groaned, trying to calm the girl in front of him to no avail.

A laugh permeates the area, like it had been watching them all the time. Junpei turns to it, dropping Kouji in the process. Of course, this was not the smartest idea in the world.

"Spirit Evolution."

Lobomon stood in the middle of the group, but instead of having a bright appearence, he was oddly darkened, no light reflecting in his eyes. Junpei was, offically, an idiot. Lori, still choking, was unable to help, her sister tending to her pain. Unable to free her hand from Takuya's deathly hard grip, Izumi could not move either. Junpei was, also, offically alone. He turned, "Oh... Damn."

The digimon who had come turned to Lobomon, "You will not!" He exclaims, then suddenly giving a signal to Sorcermon, as if to say 'Help me here!'

The two jump into battle. Lobomon, despite being on the same level as Sorcermon, was easily fighting them, beating them. Anything they threw at him, the dark aura asorbed and deflected, never touching the not-so-Light Warrior. The mad laughter of the invisable mastermind still echoed, which by now was quite annoying to the all ready paranoid children.

"Kouji!" Lori chokes out, "Stop this!" she coughs more, doubling over for a few seconds, "You, you..." Lori's one problem was coming up with good insults, "Jackass!"

Before any other action could be taken, a large shadow appears before them, beginging to finally take shape. It was a ghost, as if someone had taken a large bed sheet, made it as fringed and withered as possible, gave it large, terrifying eyes, and deadly claws.

Izumi moaned, "Why does everything have claws here!"

Bakemon swung his claws at Junpei, throwing him away from the river banks, turning to Commandramon and Sorcermon. As he raised his claw to finish the two off, something sounds of that scares him more than a gun ringing off on Main Street.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

_"Mjollnir Thunder!" _Blitzmon rammed his shocking horn into the Bakemon, causing the aura on Lobomon to loosen. '_That's it! If I attack him, the controll on Kouji loosens! Like Dokugamon's webs!"_ Again, he slammed into Bakemon, and after a few more attacks, Lobomon falls backwards, becoming his old, blue haired, Light Warrior self. Outcold, to add to it.

Bakemon was, of course, annoyed and frustrated. "_Hell's Hand!"_ he swiped his claws at Blitzmon, forcing the warrior to move. Finally, he countered:

"_Thor Hammer!"_ he clashed his fist down on the Bakemon, causing the ghost's Fractal Code to show.

"Impure corupter, this Thunder will clense, Digi-Code... SCAN!"

* * *

><p>Even after a few hours, Ren and Takuya were still out-cold, but the condition was much worse. Ever stoic Ren had begun to cry, little trickles of tears slowly going down the sides of her face. Takuya was not much better; he was tossing, turning, unable to sit still, moaning out, "No..." For the ones left to watch, it was awful.<p>

"Takuya." Izumi whispered for what seemed the hundreth time, "It's okay. I'm here. Everything's fine." Izumi was lying to herself on that last part.

Tomoki was having just as much success with Ren, "C'mon, Ren, wake up..." He almost began crying like her, seeing someone who was once quite stable break apart, "You have to..."

Junpei sighed, "This isn't going to work."

Liri let a choked cry come out, "But, Junpei, we can't give up on them!"

Lori glared at the red-head, "No, we can't. Junpei, if we give up on them, we'd be responsible for what ever happens to them."

Kouji, somehow becoming temporary leader, says, "Junpei, we're going to stay here until they wake up, and that's the end of it."

"Yeah..." Neemon remarks.

Bokomon sighs, "I just hope it doesn't end them..."


	9. Choices, Right or Wrong

**Ren**

_Sunshine streaked through the widow. It was beautiful outside. Spring had sprung up over night, really. The purples and blues of flowers that were planted around the downtown were a nice thing to see after the unbreakable mass of snow that came in that winter. Of course, back then, I didn't mind. I was really young. Maybe three or four. Memories tend to fade over time, but this one... It was an exception. It still felt raw._

_I looked over to my right, at my brother, "Ne-chan~" He smiled brightly at me when he said that, trying to draw my attention to whatever it was he was doing. Being the oldest of the Luvilia twins, as we got called, I sometimes felt like I was twenty years - not twenty minutes - older than my brother. He grabbed my hand, still noting my diverted attention. At age three, I will admit, I was a spaz._

_Before I could think, I felt something slam into the vehicle on my right, and I instantly felt something else rip into my left arm. Right where my t-shirt ended, a gash with bright red blood began, ending at my wrist._

_"Onē-chan!" Ryoumi's voice called. The area was dark. I felt tired... "Onē-san!" Again, he cried out, "Ren!"_

* * *

><p><em>I wasn't three or four anymore, I had to remind myself that. My brother's death was in the past, so was that crash, so was everything else awful. I had to focus. How long had I been dreaming? It felt like no more than a few minutes, but asleep time felt different. I must've been asleep hours. Suddenly, I felt a chill run down my spine. I turned to the source, but saw nothing. Absolute darkness surrounded me.<em>

_"You are not afraid of the dark, no?" A steely voice asked. The tinge of familarity stung me. Like someone stabing a knife into your heart._

_I tried to keep the icy calm in my voice, but I could feel myself on the verge of faltering, "No, I am not." Keep composed, I try and tell myself._

_I could hear the person clear his throat, as if he didn't believe me, "Do you know why you are here?" he asked._

_I thought for a second. I had been told to save the Digital World with the others, but I wasn't exactly sure why _**I**_ was here. So far, I had been dead weight to the others: I got in the way during fights, I didn't seem to do anything except cause arguments._

_The person laughed, "You do not know, do you, Ren?" The tinge of reconginization was like someone twisting the blade that was already through your heart._

_A gloved hand reached under my chin, just as I broke and cried, softly, keeping my eyes lifted towards where I assumed his were. The person chuckled, "See, Ren." He let go of me, and suddenly, I saw it. Red hair, like in my Aguamon form._

_Fear rushed through my body, or what I assumed was fear. It had been so long since I had felt something... And I hate it. Whatever had softened me, I don't know, but I hated it. For a second, I forget that there is someone in this area with me._

_"Ren!" Tomoki cries out, "Ren, C'mon, wake up!" Tomoki was the youngest of us all, and I could hear the worry in his voice. I had to wake up, for his sake. But before I could-_

_The person turns to me, more apathetic than I could ever be, then grabs me by my throat, holding me high above his head, "Listen here," he growls, the fake persona of niceness over with, "You will break. I will make sure of it. You will serve Lord Cherubimon!"_

_At that, more darkness swallowed me._

_"NE-SAN!"  
><em>_**  
><span>**_**Takuya  
><span>**_Fire. I felt it. I could smell it, could taste it. Fire. But, for once, the flames hurt. I grabbed at something, instead of feeling the actual fire, however, I felt grass. It was all I could do. That feeling of blades of the plant in my hand was a physical connection._

_"Ah, Takuya, you return after so long." That voice... Lucemon? "I would say it was a pleasure, but considering you just about destroied me last time, I cannot."_

Clenching my fist harder, I stared into the empty void that was Lucemon's prison, "Well! How did you survive!"

"Even the original warriors could not defeat me. You humans could not do it." He laughed, then reaching his pale hand out towards me. It was an orb of light, iluminating the area. Suddenly, instead of white light, it showed an image. Of Izumi, "Ah, yes. Izumi Orimoto is her name, is it not?" In the light, the image showed Izumi, standing alone in a desert. Before I could even think, something in the orb destroyed her without thought, and it turned back to light, "You see, Takuya, this orb shows the future. Izumi will die. Alone, helpless."

I couldn't take this, "No! That couldn't happen!" I swatted at the damned orb, but Lucemon kept it out of my reach.

"It very well could. Unless, of course, I prevent it." I looked Lucemon in the eye, and he smiled, "All you'd have to do is one thing."

I couldn't help but ask, "What?"

His voice was eeirly dark, "I need you to do one simple task." Reaching behind his back, he grabbed out a small knife, handing it towards me, "Put this knife in the back of the Water Warrior. Make sure she's dead, and Izumi will live."

For a few moments, I thought of actually doing it. Of acutally killing Ren. Despite how much mutual hatred we had, I couldn't do it, and I know she couldn't. Ren could probably be a million things behind the mask she wore, but a murder, I don't think that could be it. I steped back, and Lucemon got an odd look on his face.

"So, the fate of someone you hate is more important than one of someone you love?" He goaded, smirking at me.

I couldn't let Izumi die, could I? This was an impossible choice. Either way, someone would die. My mind told me it was a matter of who

**I **_wished to save, and I picked Izumi. _**You'd have blood on your hands, Takuya. **_I knew that much, but did I care? Killing Ren would be just like scanning a digimon, right? _**Takuya, Digimon don't die. Your friends, on the other hand, can.** _But who said Ren was a friend? Despite how much I didn't like the idea of killing, Izumi's fate seemed much more important._

_Lucemon laughed, "Perfect."_

_The handle of the knife landed in my hand; I felt a rush of anger, and dropped it immediatly. Any weapon that retained emotion, I didn't want to touch._

_"Ah, so you won't." Lucemon picked the blade up again, "It's a shame, that Izumi will die because of your conseince." He turned to me, never losing eye contact, "The offer still stands, if you wish to think on this more."_

_Suddenly, I felt light rush in around me, and a startled cry, "Takuya!"_

* * *

><p>Takuya awakened suddenly, his head on Izumi's lap, her hand in his. He realized how tight his grip was, and let go of her hand. As he let go, she smiled gratefully, and asked, "Takuya, is everything all right?"<p>

He was breathing heavily, trying to decide whether or not to tell her, or the others for that matter. If he did tell her, she would become worried, but if he didn't, she could die. So, he lied, "It's fine. Just a weird dream." He smiled, reasuringly.

Junpei interupted, "'Weird'? Or terrifying?" he asks.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Takuya bluffs.

Lori replied, "Well, you probably broke your girlfriend's hand, you were so nervous."

"Girlfriend!?" Izumi shreiked, "Takuya and I are not-"

Liri laughed, "That's kinda funny, considering how you two act."

Takuya fumed, embarassed. Junpei continued on, "So, was it weird like you say, or were you scared?"

"You guys worry too much." Takuya replies, calmly.

Kouji sighs, "Well, more like, _rightly paranoid_. I mean, it's not everyday two, not one, people are unreachable and possibly being tortured in their sleep."

"Wait-" Takuya interjected, "Who?"

The group opens up their circle to show Tomoki, sitting, somewhat holding Ren. Takuya instantly noticed that, unlike in her waking hours, Ren was crying, but it was not a loud sound. No, it was a quiet, racking sob. It terrified the living daylights out of him, and everyone else.

"Ne-san?" Tomoki whispered, no one hearing him, to his thankfulness. "C'mon, Ne-san..." He trailed off, only because he was frightened by a sudden stiring by Ren, who was moaning, but begining to wake.

"Hmmmm..." she murmured, and then for a small second, she gave a very faint _smile._ Only Tomoki caught that, to Ren's gratefulness. In the back of her mind, she thought that Tomoki was someone else, but she her eyes opened quickly, and realized exactly who it was, "Thank you, Tomoki." she whispered to him, that smile staying for a few more seconds, then helping him stand with her.

"Ren? Are you okay?" Lori piped up, "You were kinda... Well..."

She flatly interupted, "I am fine, thank you very much." Though it was hard to imagine, Ren was actually being truly thankful, though her tone did prove otherwise...

Which is why Lori snorted in response, "I just asked a question. You don't have to bite my head off."

Sorcermon ignored both of their comments, and cleared his throat, "Well, now that this... Unusal situatuation is over with, and the sun has fallen, it is high time we start moving. Down river is towards Awakening Castle, which does seem to coordinate the plan that I had so little say in." It was clear, he was quite agrivated in that fact.

So, with little complaining, they all began to move, down the stream, reeling from what the world had just thrown at them, good and bad.

* * *

><p>Half-way through the night, with the full moon high in the sky, illuminating their path. Sorcermon had led them quite far along the river, with the children's legs burning. Despite not seeing it, a dark shadow followed them, in the river. It was a long, skinny shadow, which might be why they didn't see it.<p>

However, despite not seeing the fact they were followed, they could feel it. Some sort of presence, in the water, or so it felt. No one gave the thought a second glance, however. They had too much to think about, truly. Duskmon, Cheurbimon, the nightmares, the choices, the plans that were being mixed in their minds, and any other thoughts that were there had taken their minds off being watched or followed.

A very fatal mistake, assured.

Junpei caught up to where Kouji was standing, and asked him quietly, "So, what do you make of this?" No one in the group really heard Junpei except Kouji, for they were distracted.

Kouji shook his head, "It's crazy. Like some force is trying to torture us to death."

Junpei chuckled, "Perhaps so. I mean, Cherubimon _does _exist. But, honestly, let's think this through. I mean, this plan is kind of stupid. We're just following a river."

Kouji coughed a little, "Well, we have nothing better." He paused, looking at the river, "Something's following us, haven't you noticed?"

"Well, this place is full of Digimon, so they're probably just curious about why we're here." Junpei rationalized.

"Makes sense." Izumi chimes in.

"It could be one of Churbimon's followers, though. Following us to spy on us, or kill us." Kouji paused, hand on his chin, "Which is worse, exactly?"

Liri pitched in, "Most of us have spirits though," she was optimisitic, "so we're good, right?"

Lori then added, "But there are digimon who are more powerful than our spirits. Duskmon, for one."

Everyone shivered.

Tomoki added, almost instantly, "So, what are we going to do about it? I mean, we can't breathe underwater!"

Everyone looked strait at Ren.

"What are you looking at me for?" Blank. Ren. Then, dawing realization, "OH... No, no, no. NO!"

"Aw, come on." Takuya goaded, in a silly voice.

"Yeah, Ren, please~" Liri chirped, "We need your help." She paused, a confused look on her face, "Why Ren?"

Junpei jumped in on the goading, "Ren has the Water Warrior spirit, so it's safe to assume she can breathe under there, unlike the rest of us. She could fight whatever's in the river, and it be over with."

It seemed that Kouji was on Ren's side, "And what if this Digimon kills her, instead of vice versa, hm?"

"Yes, thank you!" Exasperation was peaked in Ren's voice.

Izumi gave a worried look to Kouji, "Yeah, we can't risk one of us just because we're curious. It's probably nothing."

Lori then countered, "And if we don't know what's down there, we could get killed by it, ever think about that, blondie?"

After that little quip, Lori and Izumi had a bit of a shouting match. Finally, it was settled by Neemon yelling, "BE QUIET!" Everyone turned to him, and then he said in a quiet tone,"Thank you."

"How about letting Ren deciede, eh?" Bokomon suggested, trying to calm the anger of two quite annoyed teenage girls.

"Yes, please." Ren interjected, quite coldly. _"This is the stupidest thing!"_ She thought to herself, _"Who cares if some Digimon is following us! It doesn't mean its going to kill us, for all we know, it could be helping us!" _Ren sighs, placing her head in her palm.

After a few more seconds of Ren thinking, Junpei exclaimed, "Well? Are you going to do it or not!?"

Angerly, she swatted her hand at him, as if she wanted to say... Quite nasty things instead, "I'll go, if it shuts all of you up!"

* * *

><p>"I can not believe I am doing this." Aguamon said, around thirty minutes later, to herself. Underwater. "I. Can. Not. Believe. I. Am. Doing. This."<p>

Underwater, the river was quite deep. She saw much plant life, but not a Digimon. Not one in sight. Annoyed, and quite irked, she began to swim to the surface, but was suddenly caught off gaurd. A shadow passed by her side, and she swung her trident at it in a simple reaction.

The shadow raspes, "WHO FROZE MY RIVER!"

Suddenly, a small bear, with brown eyes, suddenly lashed out at the shadow. It swam away, fearfully.

When looking back at the bear, Aguamon choked on her own words for a moment. It had disappeared, leaving her in a bad condition. Or, just more irked. Extremely hard to tell with this woman. She began to swim to the surface, suddenly realizing that it was _frozen over!_

* * *

><p>While Ren was under, the seven stared at the water as they got purely bored. "I wonder how long she's been under there now." Liri stated.<p>

"Maybe half an hour, now." Kouji remarks, skipping another pebble across the surface.

"So... What do you think is taking her so long?" Lori asked.

Junpei responded, "Perhaps she's fighting whatever it is."

"Wouldn't the water being rippling though?" Takuya reminded.

Everyone sighed, "This is boring..." Tomoki responds, staring at the water. The calmness was short. The water rippled, and began to stir. Water was thrown araound, and for a moment, the children dismissed it.

Again, a fatal mistake.

"Am I not important enough to be given your attention!" A female voice demanded.

Kouji stood up, "Ranamon..." He mumbles, looking around.

The small fish woman was behind the seven, which... Was not good, considering what was about to happen. Water from the river swelled upwards, and, as if it were a thick band, held all the children together. Except, for the one sitting extremely close to the water, and thus farther from the band. Tomoki had wrigled away from the water, and jumped to dodge another blow.

"Come here, little boy." Ranamon threatened, dissonantly calm. Another wave of water rushed at Tomoki. He rolled out of the way, and felt himself sink into the deep river.

The small boy was underwater in a few seconds. Unlike what he thought, the water was cold. Icy, really. He opened his eyes, and felt light rush at him. Finally, he realized that he was, in fact, staring at a spirit. His Spirit, mind you. The Spirit of Kumamon.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Ranamon was underwater with Kumamon within seconds. Despite not being a water creature, Kumamon was fine with being underwater. So, in order to trap Ranamon here, he froze the top of the river.

"WHO FROZE MY RIVER!" A voice rasped, causing even Ranamon to fear. A large, skinny shadow.

Ranamon shreiked, and instantly pointed at Kumamon, "MetalSeadramon, it was him! The Ice Warrior!" Terror was instantly identifiable in Ranamon's voice, and Kumamon realizes that Ranamon was acutally terrified of MetalSeadramon.

MetalSeadramon studied them both, and lashed out at Kumamon. It wipped its tail at him, and the recoil from his own blow caused him to go towards the other bank of the wide river, towards another digimon.

_"Snow Bomber!_"

MetalSeadramon swam farther away, part of his body frozen by the attack. Kumamon followed, and to the digimon that MetalSeadramon almost attacked, it seemed he appeared and disappeared. Either it made her irked, or it put her in a bad condition. Hard to tell, with Aguamon.

And, now, they were in this situation. Ranamon hid in a small catche in the river walls, afraid that MetalSeadramon would attack her in rage that she was here. MetalSeadramon swam down river, trying to break the ice on his side. Kumamon followed, trying to discover what was going on. Aguamon, confused, was still pounding on the ice above her.

MetalSeadramon turned to Kumamon, "Wait!" he cried, "You are the True Holder of Legendary Spirit of Ice?"

Kumamon replies, very truthfully, "Yes."

"Tomoki Himi, correct?" MetalSeadramon again asked.

He nodded.

MetalSeadramon nodded sollemnly, "Ranamon is our enemy then. She believes herself queen of all water, and acts as such. I would love to attack her, but she never comes near without one of her followers. That is why I attacked you." He explained, "I thought you were another one of her followers."

Kumamon nodded, understandingly, "I can relate. It becomes easy to get overly paranoid... No, properly parinoid sounds just about right."

MetalSeadramon sighed, "Unfreeze the water. It would not be smart to keep it frozen for too long. The river's population would suffer." He then noticed something - someone, rather - swimming towards them, and he then asks, "Who is the other Warrior, might I ask?"

Aguamon had finally caught up, "I'm Ren, er... Aguamon."

MetalSeadramon bowed his head, "Ah, well then. It is nice to see that my element is represented by the Chosen Children."

A small digimon then came up to them, happily hugging onto Aguamon's arm. "A water Warrior~" She exclaims. It was a pinkish, rabbit creature, with purple bands around it.

Suddenly, sunlight streaked through the ice, and Kumamon remembered that he needed to remove it. The ice shattered into a million peices, and the peices rained down like snow. The small digimon held itself to Aguamon, and smiled. Aguamon herself smiled. "This place is beautiful." she remarked, looking at the entire area around them.

Kumamon looked at her, with an odd look on his face, "_Now why can't she be like that above water?_" He ignored the pit feeling in his stomach, and looked around, "Where's Ranamon?"

The pink digimon responded, "Probably gone. She's haughty, but knows that if she's caught without a follower, she's doomed."

Aguamon and Kumamon made a move to leave, and as they reached the top, they noted that they weren't resurfacing at the same spot. They had gone quite downriver. So, when they did reach the top, they looked up towards the spot where the others should have been.

"Tomoki," Ren observed, apatheticly, "They're not here."


	10. Murcuremon Knows!

**Lori**

I was tiredly floating through darkness. Snapping my eyes open, I stared at myself for a few seonds. Though I could see my outline fine, I noted no other source of sight stimulation. After a few minutes, I finally realized I was floating; I felt myself slam into a metal floor. Scowling at me, a tall digimon stood overhead, holding his scythe idly in his hand.

Eyeing the blade, I was in a daze. Instead of the sheer terror I was expecting from seeing a large scythe - made in a way to where it was sharp on the outside of the blade, not on the inside - I felt oddly.. Blank. Like this was a dream, and that I would wake up at any second, to hear Liri's perky cry. This illusion was dispelled the second I felt the cold blade against my neck.

"Move, and I will kill you." The digimon growled, lifting the scythe from my throat.

I squinted. Very little light peaked through, so I had to strain to see. Though dim, the figure's outline was obvious. What made his appearance imposible to decipher, at least from my perspective, was the fact that he _did_ blend into the background. What even told me that the figure was a humanoid digimon was the way the silhouette appeared to my perseption: Broad shoulders, and a human-like stature, a taut stance.

I breathed deep. Keep calm, I told myself. Yeah, that strategy is a pain when there is a probable physcopaith standing above you with a scythe specfically designed to kill you. So, I tried to reasses, think of something else. Most everything had gone downhill when Takuya and Ren hadn't woken up, and now.. Now, I was nowhere near them.. What had happened last?

Ranamon had held us with her water. Then, she'd followed Tomoki when he fell in. Okay, logic: Why would she follow him? Was it because there was something down there that was important... I remembered light that followed, and _then_ it hit me: Tomoki had evolved! Of course!

That was when it got weird. I honestly should've expected it, but I think we were all still reeling from what happened only a day ago. A day? It felt like years since Duskmon had attacked. So much had happened in so little time. Thinking back, I remembered exactly how it happened.

* * *

><p><em>Takuya had stood up, and then warned us, "Something's coming..." I was shocked. Takuya's voice was different. Stronger, deeper. He normally had a kiddish voice, but now... It was something else.<em>

_Kouji took a sharp breath in. I saw his eyes flash a reddish color... I realized, when I looked at my reflection in the ice over the river, my eyes were a different color too. Everyone was prepared to evolve._

_Which, might've been bad for us. Commandramon, who really had been quiet for the last little bit, instantly noticed, and lunged at the spot we were insticively looking at. The thing is, it was much more strong than he. A large digimon easily pushed Commandramon off him by simpily moving a very large sheild._

_I saw our reflections in the sheild. It was like a mirror. Izumi held herself in front of Takuya, anger flashing in bright green eyes - only, I remembered that her eyes were a darker shade than that. I didn't question it at the time. To her right, Liri's eyes were wide. This thing scared **my **little sister._

_On Izumi's left was Junpei. Disoriented, he still stood like he was about to evolve, in which he had just had that ability returned to him. Kouji stood in front of me, behind Junpei. In the back, stood me. I looked like someone who was half confused, and half ready to kill something._

_The digimon that stepped out was the one I had seen before. The one that had caught me when I had rescued Kouji and Tomoki from the desert compound._ _But now, he seemed much more terrifying._

_"Mercuremon!" Izumi exclaims, pulling out her D-Scanner in a flash._

_Mercuremon made a noise like clicking his tounge, only I reminded myself that... Well, he really didn't have a tounge. Without words, he took his large sheild, and we saw Izumi disappear in a shadow. Takuya wasn't there either. Both.. Were gone. Disappeared. Mercuremon, smirking, clicked his 'tounge' again._

_Kouji jumped up at this, and flashed his D-Scanner out. Now, we could tell, he was angry. The calm, blue haired Kouji.. Angry? He looked more like he was going to evolve with every second. We could hear a growl under his throat, just waiting for him to evolve._

_"Spirit Evolution!"_

_Lobomon instantly swung his sword at the Metal warrior, trying - and probably- failing to keep calm. Mercuremon kept parying. Never once had the sword touched him. The same darkness surged through the sheild, and consumed the light warrior._

_"NO!" I suddenly head myself exclaim. I realized that we were all evolved.. Had we evolved with Kouji? Could another Chosen Child's anger force the others to evolve? I didn't think about it then, but I thought about it now._

_I saw Liri - er, Ivymon - lunge, lithe as a cat, at Mercuremon. My sister was a fearless fool, all right. That same darkness took over my sisters form, the entity that took Takuya, Izumi, and Kouji._

_"Don't do that." Blitzmon told me in a whisper._

_Before we could do anything stupid, Mercuremon stepped in front of us. Almost instictively, I felt a growl in my throat, and myself move in __front of Blitzmon. The dark form came, once again. Instantly, it consumed us both... And... Nothing._

* * *

><p>So, if the mirror that Mercuremon uses takes you to a different place each time, Junpei should be somewhere around here! Before I could move to find him however, I remembered the scythe-weilding warrior. I move, I die. Instead, I tried to examine this.<p>

What had happened that had led to all of this? After rescuing Kouji, and meeting Duskmon, things had gone downhill. Bad thing after bad thing kept happening. Finally, I had ended up in Kouji's original postion: Captured.

But, how did I end up in this mess? This was a world of data, and I thought of something: What if this was happening because of something _I _did? Only a few weeks before, I had been playing around with cyberspace. I thought I had good reasoning, but the more I thought about the Digital World and its workings, the more I got worried. It happened like this:

_"Lori, this is the best thing anyone could ever do." Ryoumi, long time friend and fellow geek kid, said for maybe the millionth time - no exageration here - time that day._

_I sighed. The sight of code gave me a headache. Even simplistic websites that only get used to find lost relatives and confirm linage had hard firewalls. I had stumbled across a section that the code kept talking about a paralell world. Now, that I think about it, I shouldn't have dismissed this, but I did. I assumed that this was the data of someone's ancestor's novel exploits. Skipping over this, I finally got in._

_"YES!" I exclaimed, leaning back onto the chair._

_Suddenly, Ryoumi wrapped his arm around my shoulder, in a hug. I blushed, and he promptly exclaimed, "You, Ms. Inichi, are the best hacker. Ever."_

_I laughed, "I'm not CIA material, yet!" I remarked, typing in the last couple of digits. Finally, a page pulled up. An ad for some random computer protection sites came up first. Then, words._

_Finally, Ryoumi just stared, "I can't believe it."_

Remembering the mention of a paralell world in the data, I wanted to scream and choke myself. It was so stupid! The code had warned me about this! _Continue, and be forced into a Paralell World's War. _War... Oh, didn't that explain a lot. All of the tricks of the Digimon trying to destroy this place, it was warfare.

I looked around. The room was shaped like a square, and I tried to see if my theory about Mercuremon's mirrors were correct. The scythe-weilder was gone, so I must've been focusing on my memories longer than I thought. Turning to my right, I saw a lump, and realized it was Junpei. He looked disheveled.

He had been wearing dressy clothes when he had first arrived in the Digital World - I assume, considering his age, interveiwing for a summer job - but from what I could see, he looked dusty and dirty. I did too, I realized. My lounge around shirt - which, was what I wore, because of great timing - was now a musty version of its original color. I reached up - slowly but surely - to wher my hair _should've _been tied up. I realized, now, that the bow I had used to tie it up that day was long gone. The rubber band was half way down my hair now.

"L-Lori?" Junpei croaked, "That you?"

"Y-yeah." I replied, making a small choking noise.

He sighed, "This.. Sucks."

"Royaly." I remarked.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Kouji<strong>  
>Liri moaned. I, instantly reacting like a big brother, tried to move for her. I felt paralyzed. Terror struck me. What if Liri was hurt? Lori would most definately kill me. Again, I writhed.<p>

"Kouji..." A small whisper. It was Liri. She sounded all right, just scared.

"Hey, kid." I mumbled. I was only able to barely move my arm. I opened my eyes a bit more. Liri had a mess of blonde hair, most of it slung back into her pigtails. I remembered acting as big brother to Tomoki. It was that kind of mindset I was in seeing Liri, all tiny and terrified.

"Kouji!" She exclaimed, panicky, "Where are the others? I mean, you've been to this world before, right?"

I made a small noise, in pain, "I think the world's different now." I explained, "I mean, if the world is destroyed, then brought back, I think it would be changed a bit..."

Liri nodded her head, "I suppose that makes sense. But..." She trailed off.

"Kid, you've gotta speak up." I told her, "Mumbling won't help in a group of eight."

"The others. They were taken into Mercuremon's sheild too, right?" She saw my attempt at an nod, "So why aren't they here?"

"I think Mercuremon can change where we go. He's manipulating where we go." I thought, then added, "He's tried this before. He had us all in situations that weren't to our advantage. Mind tricks and the like..."

Liri sighed, "I hate this."

"I know, kid. I do too."

"No, I mean this world. It's been doing nothing but torturing us!" she exclaimed.

I breathed out, "Listen, Liri. This world has the tendency to do that as a test. After these 'tests' life in the Digital World is pretty nice. The digimon are extermely nice, as long as you don't get on their bad side." I joked.

Liri smiled, "All right, I'll believe you."

I began to move, wincing. "We better start moving, pretty fast." Standing, I added in, "We've got to get the other Chosen Children. It's better for everyone if we don't stay apart too long."

So, we began to walk. Instantly, we heard a rushing sound. "River..." Liri whispered, pointing towards the south. I nodded my head, and signaled for her to stay in the trees.

Emergining, I was blinded. The sun was overhead, like it was midday, not midnight. Sand was underfoot. The rushing was not a river, but an _ocean_. An OCEAN! In the distance, I did see the part of the ocean that was opening to a river... Going up-stream... Backwards geography, anyone? It was obvious, that I was on the opposite bank of the river that we were originally traveling along.

"_Kouji Minamoto._" Ophanimon's voice sounded off. I grabbed the D-Scanner, "_You are in Forest Kingdom. Go west, and keep going along the river. You will find Awakening Castle. Wait there for the other Chosen Children and Wizardmon._"

Liri instantly emerged from the trees, and then staring at me, "Kouji? Where are we?"

I took a deep breath in, "Let's ask the digimon here, kid." I pointed towards the small shack by the river.

* * *

><p>Babamon swept the floor. She did this everyday. Couldn't stand messes, that woman. Lilamon and Lillymon, two adoptive sisters, watched her with curiousity. Lillymon was the tomboyish sister, always getting herself into trouble with Cherubimon's slaves. Not that she couldn't handle them. Lilamon was the one forced to be responsible. The two were both, by definition, Ultimate Level Digimon, and extremely strong.<p>

"Fuss, fuss, Babamon, that's all you do!" Lillymon snickered.

Lilamon swatted her hand at Lillymon, but the two straightened up when the door was knocked on. Babamon rushed at the entrance, and smiled at the two who entered. A human boy, raven haired, and a little girl. "Hello?" The boy questioned.

Babamon smiled, "Welcome. I am Babamon."

The boy entered, "Hello, Babamon."

Bubbly, the girl added, "Do you know where we are?"

Lillymon made a noise, "You mean you don't know!"

Smacking her sister on the arm, Lilamon counters with, "This is a big area, Lillymon. Without a map, anyone can get lost."

Babamon swatted at the two with her broom, "Enough, you two! Fighting like cats and dogs." She turns back to the human children who had entered her house, "You're just in a little beach, long way from any place. How'd you get here?"

So, Kouji told the story. Mercuremon's appearance. Of course, he blotted out the other children, and any preceeding event that lead up to it. To be breif, he said that Mercuremon's attack had been random. He even left out the fact they had spirits. Luckly, Liri got that she wasn't to say anything about the others.

Lilamon jumped up, gasping, "You poor guys! That must've been awful!"

Lillymon snorted, "It sounds like Mercuremon is becoming a pain..." She stared at her nails, as if planning a murder.

"Girls!" Babamon snapped, "Be quiet!" She turned back to the children, who were now very.. very freaked out, "Sit down," she ushered the children to her table, where they gratefully collapsed into the chairs.

"Thank you." Liri bowed her head to the Babamon.

"You're welcome, sweethearts." Babamon smiled, and then added to the sisters, "Girls, be nice."

* * *

><p>After a night of rest at Babamon's residence, Kouji and Liri were ready to take their leave. Babamon had agreed the night before to lend them a map of the reigon, much to Kouji's thankfullness.<p>

"This'll make things a lot easier without Sorcermon to guide us." He told Liri as they headed up-stream.

Liri nodded her head, "Let's head to Awakening Castle!" she exclaims, happily dragging Kouji up the river.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Lori<br>**"Lori?" Junpei cried out, "Can you move?"

I wriggled, heaving upward, to no avail, "I feel like I'm weighted down." I tell him, hearing my voice crack, "We need to get out of here.. Fast."

I head Junpei strain at movement, and then sigh, "How did this happen?"

"I've been thinking about that." I admitted, "I mean, most of the stuff seems to be a landslide of really bad things... But it all makes sense. I mean, these are mainly warfare tactics, and Wizardmon _did _mention the Digital World being in war."

Junpei sighed, "I wish war were nicer."

Suddenly, a small laugh ripples through the room. I jumped, or tried to, but failed. Instantly, the pressure holding Junpei and me realeased, and the thing that laughed jumped over to us, "Are you all right?" it asks, "The pressure traps aren't normally used for people that aren't digital, or people in genertal, I'm not sure how they would affect you." he explains. The thing sounded like a male, anyhow.

Junpei answered, "I'm fine, thank you. What about you, Lori?"

"Just fine." I replied, standing up, dusting myself off, "Where are we?" I asked our rescurer.

"Forest Kingdom." It replies, quickly, "This is a natural cave system that Mercuremon uses to hold prisoners, including you guys."

Junpei instantly asked, "Are there any other humans here?" he was urgent, worry easyily replacing his average non-chalantness.

The digimon shakes his head, "Not that I'm aware of." Before we could interject anything, he throws something at us, and I feel the plastic D-Scanner land in my hand. I assume Junpei catches his. "We must hurry." He turns, ushering for us to follow.

And follow we did. Natural cave system, indeed! It was enormous, twists and turns we had to take. By the time we approached steps, we could see. Which led to this 'little' exchange:

"GRUMBLEMON!" Junpei exclaims, jumping back, "Wh-what!"

"Shhhh!" Grumblemon exclaims, "Someone could hear you, and get us all killed!" He whispers.

"Yeah, like you!" Junpei accouses, standing back even farther, holding his D-Scanner as if it were a bludgeon.

Grumblemon tries to calm him down, "Listen, I'm trying to help you." He whispers, trying not to alert anyone.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, it tends to bite you." I warned him, hoping he actually understood that idiom.

Junpei sighed, "Fine..." He mumled, and we continued on in a rushed scilence.

* * *

><p>Later, within fifteen minutes, we were above ground, about to part with Grumblemon. Junpei could not help but ask:<p>

"Why did you help us?"

Grumblemon turns around, "It's what a Warrior's supposed to do. Help anyone who can't help themselves."

Junpei nods, "So, I asume this was a one-time help?" He was still very skeptical.

Shaking his head 'no', Grumblemon continued on, "I'm not working for Churbimon, mind you. I'm working against him."

"Then why attack Flame Terminal Sacntuary? Eh!" Junpei exclaims.

"Appearances." Grumblemon replies, "I have to operate like one of them. Don't expect there not to be a fight next time you see me." Then, he smiled, "Good Luck, Chosen Children." With that, Grumble disappeared into the ground.

So, we were left there, standing, wondering what was happening. We decieded, first, that they would get as far away from the cave as possible before nightfall - our plan of sleeping in the day was shattered - As we got farther away, we began seeing more and more digimon. They followed along, as if they were a procession. At one point, they just began walking with us, and they instantly began to chat with us.

"You're the Chosen Children, right?" One asks. It was a small, cute little seal-type Digimon, with white fur, purple-ish markings, and orange 'hair' on its head.

I nodded my head, "That's right." I watched the sun begin to slide down the horizon, blinding us quickly.

The Digimon's friend, a small lizard wearing a wolf's pelt, jumped in, "That means that the rumours are true! You're here to save us again!"

Junpei nodded, "Well, I'm here for a second time. This is Lori's first Digital Adventure."

Another digimon, an actual lizard with orange scales, smiled, "We used to go on Adventures." His friends nodded.

"Yeah..." A pink bird remarked, "I miss those days..." Before she went any further, she jumped into the air, right at level with my eyes, "We need your help. There's this big digimon with a scythe that's demanding we give the Fractal Code of our setlement over."

A little orange-ish cream guniea pig Digimon jumped into the air as well, "Pleeaassee! It's too strong for us to fight."

To help, a white cat digimon jumped right into my arms, with a pleading look in her blue eyes, "We'll make it worth your while!"

Junpei, with a look of graditude on his face, nodded his head, "We'll help. It's what a Warrior's got to do!"

I smiled, "Time for action!"

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

* * *

><p>"I told you! We don't KNOW where the Fractal Code is! We inhabit this land, not create it!" A metalic voice, as if that of a computer's, exclaimed, along with another crash against the land.<p>

Swinging the scythe again, the attacking digimon retorted back, "Then I will find it myself, unless you can stop me." The challenge was a cruel joke. The negotiating Digimon was a child-level digimon, and the attacker was a Human-Spirit Warrior.

The Digimon snorted, "You'll never find it!"

Instead of destroying the landscape even more, the attacker swings at Tentomon, causing the little digimon to fly backwards. Obviously done with terrifying Tentomon, the attacker resumed trying to open the ground up.

"STOP!" Biyomon exclaimed, jumping at the attacker, who swatted her away with ease. The bird, back at the tree line, sceamed once again, "STOP!"

The atacker turns, to see not only the negotiating Digimon, but two Warriors. To him, the Warriors were traitors. No Warrior would fight against Cherubimon... Unless, they were Chosen Children. He eyed them again, and decided that it didn't matter. They were going to die.

"Who are you?" The attacker demands.

"We are the Chosen Children!" The two Warriors boasted, readying themselves to attack. Terramon held her spear at the ready; Blitzmon's hands were sparking.

Rearing his arm back the attacker swung at the Warriors. They, in response, jumped out of the charging attacker's way. Studying the attacker closely, they only became more terrifyed. Loose, dark grey robes acted as armour, but what worried them was not what he wore: It was the fact that the red hair was spot-on for one of their team mates. Worse, this had been the Chosen Children's captor.

Too caught up in battle to notice, Terramon summoned rocks on all sides of her. "_Grotto Mandala!_" The rocks, glowing in a subtle aura, flew at the attacker...

Who side-stepped the entire attack, leaving the ground to hit any structure that was behind him. "_Guadaña swing._" He charged at them, leaving no room for mercy. Blitzmon, luckly, jumped out of the way, pulling Terramon along by her wrist at last second. Unluckly, the scythe hit the ground, in a particular way that cause a cave-in. The blue data iluminating the attacker's face, he smirked, "Perfect."

Before he could grab at the data, Terramon threw herself in the way of the chasam, and felt the scythe nick her before she landed on her knees. "Wh-who are you?" She gets out, terror at the familiar, yet distant, silver eyes.

"I am Oscureomon." He raised the scythe to where a downward angle would ensure the death of the Earth Warrior. He was certain. Then he felt a blade in his chest:

"_Earth-Shattering Spear!"_

"THOR HAMMER!"

Knocked sideways, Oscureomon barely landed on his feet. Touching the wound, his hand brought back red blood. So, instead of continuing on, he jumped away, just evaporating into the night.

Instead of giving chase, the children slid to the ground, and turned back to their human forms within seconds, panting. "That guy... He's tough." Lori remarks.

Junpei nods, "You did really good, Lori." The red-head turned her head to look at him. "I mean, that was brilliant. He thought he had you. _**I **_thought he was going to kill you."

Lori shook her head, "No, you saved me Junpei-san..." Trailing off, she instively closed her eyes, out-cold from the fight.

* * *

><p>"<em>You let them escape!<em>" Ranamon's shrill rang out in Grumblemon's ear. He winced away, completely terrified of his 'teammate'.

Mercuremon laughed, "Ranamon, calm." He walks up to Grumblemon, as if to pass him, "It was a simple mistake, no?" He looks down at Grumblemon, knowing it all.

'_Oh no... Mercuremon knows!"_

* * *

><p>The afternoon of Lori's and Junpei's escape, Takuya finally sat up, and felt a soft hand touch his forehead, "You're running a fever Takuya." Izumi explained, putting a wet cloth on her friend's head.<p>

Takuya nodded slightly, "Where are we?" he asks.

Izumi sighs, "I don't know... We're just here." She sighed again, "Mercuremon brought us here... It's terifying. What could he gain by sending us to a desert?"

Looking around, Takuya makes a vain effort to move, "This place is so... Barren..."

"It'll be okay, Takuya. It'll be okay." she told him in a hushed tone. Her hand in his, she looked brave, but it was hiding one thing:

Izumi seemed to be trying to convince herself, not him.


	11. Changed

_**Author Note: Kay, I have a bit of time problem! All the Izumi and Takuya parts take place two days after the Ren and Tomoki parts. The Lori and Junpei parts from the last chapter are a day after Ren and Tomoki. Liri and Kouji are on the same day as Ren and Tomoki, but they're farther away from Awakening Castle. It's in my notes, Momentai!**_

_**Now, Enjoy the show!**_

**Izumi**  
>"Izumi-chan?" Takuya croaked, attempting yet again to sit up, before feeling himself fall, yet again.<p>

I, worried and panicky, instantly rushed over to him, "What is it, Takuya?"

"I was thinking..." Takuya trailed off, hacking and coughing left and right.

"You can think later, Takuya-san. Right now, you need to save your energy." I said, replacing a wet rag on his forehead. I had no medications, no help, just a wet rag, and paitence. Paitence, that was wearing thin, might I add.

Impudently, Takuya made yet another attempt at moving, "Izumi, we have to get out of here." He warned, "I can feel something wrong..."

At that, I was worried even more. When Takuya thought something was wrong, I listened, "Well, we need a plan..." I sighed, and then picked a few items out of my bag. A compass was what I was looking for. "If we came from the east when we met Duskmon, then this the west. So, Awakening Castle should be in the middle..."

"I can't move, Izumi."

I lowered my head, "I know... That's the problem." Then, it hit me, "Of course! Maybe you can't move, but I can!"

Takuya gave me a look, "Wait, what are you thinking?"

I grabbed my D-Scanner, "No one said I couldn't fly, eh?" Already, I felt a rush, like when I first evolved. Sure, it was scary back then, but now, it was a second nature. Takuya, sighing in defeat, just stared at me, almost like he knew exactly what I was doing.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

So, with that, I grabbed Takuya, and began to fly. Normally, I was an extremely fast flyer, but... Now, I was kinda slow. Not extremely slow, but still not as fast as I normally was. Then again, I was holding Takuya. Surely, I could get to a place closer to a river... Or, perferably, Awakening Castle itself.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Tomoki<br>**Maybe thirty minutes after resurfacing, we came across the startled Neemon and the worried Bokomon. Sorcermon, leading them towards us, had a look of relief on his face upon seeing us. Without hesitation, Ren asked, "Where are the others?"

"G-gone!" Bokomon cried out, tears streaking down his furry face.

"Gone? As in... Dead?" Instantly, I recognized the fear in my voice, felt myself reaching for support.

Sorcermon shook his head, "No. Mercuremon has captured them."

"Who?" Blankly, Ren asked.

"The Legendary Warrior of Metal." Sorcermon informed, "HIs mirrors have the power to teleport anything he wishes to where he wants them. I assume, he's taken them to their caves."

"The caves!?" Bokomon and Neemon excalimed, fear, shock, anger, and outrage in their voices all at once.

"What're the caves?" I asked, feeling Sorcermon put a hand on my shoulder.

"The worst place to be behind the Dark Continent itself. At first, they were a natural tunnel system Awakening Castle used to send secret messages when the war began. It worked. Too well, in fact. Arbormon found it, chased one of our best soilders all the way to the end. We had to cave in the entrance to the Castle." Sorcermon informed.

"Since then, they use it to store prisoners, the strongest ones. Anyone who escapes, they're not sane anymore... Never have we figured out what they do, because they do it so well."

Instantly, I fell backwards, "Then... Who knows what's going to happen to them!" I cried out. This was the last straw. All of them... They could be dead right now!

"It'll be all right." I heard Ren reassure, then sit down next to me. I turned to look her in the eyes, "We're going to make sure that doesn't happen."

"H-how?"

A smirk appeared on Ren's lips, only for a milasecond, before she returned to being cold, "Because we're going to rescue them."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Izumi<br>**I fell. Just, fell. I was loosing altitude, eyes close to shutting. Fear, anger, exaughsten all rushed through my veins. Takuya slipped from my grip. I saw him tumble a few feet. Adrenaline had pushed me past my normal limits. I dove, catching him. He slipped through my grip. Grabbing again, I felt the cotton of Takuya's shirt against my bare arms. I looked to the forest below.

Exaughsted, I knew that flying farther would risk me tumbling out of the air again. So, I landed next to the river, placing an out-cold Takuya under the canopy of a big tree, and returned to human form. Reaching for the rag, I redipped it in the water, putting on Takuya's forehead again. I felt for his temperature, hand against his cheek. He was getting cooler. Maybe this would pass...

Parched, I grabed my bottle of water. It was near empty, from using it to wet the rag in the desert. After refilling it in the river, I took a sip. I knew Takuya would be dehydrated. That's how fevers work. I needed to focus on getting him better, and getting us to Awakening Castle. Surely, someone would have _something_ that could help. Or, at least an asprin. I mean, I could still feel where my wings were!

Takuya stired, coughing. "Izumi?" He croaked, but before he could say anything else, I put the water in his mouth.

As I explained why we landed, Takuya just stared into space. His eyes were blank, dazing in and out. Worry took over. Had he gotten worse? "Takuya?" I ask.

He snapped into focus, "Wha-? Oh..." He looked at the ground, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking..."

"What now?" I snapped. I knew I shouldn't have, but I had little paitence at the moment, with myself or him.

"Sorry, I just wanted to help..." He replied, sitting up against the tree, "If Mercuremon took us to the desert, there must be a purpose. I mean, he thinks he's some master manipulator, so it makes sense."

"Sure does." I mumble, "But.. We're all spread out. That, I think, was the plan. We have NO idea where we are.." I continue on, "I mean, sure, we have a river. That's useful. NOT."

Takuya gave a weak attempt at a smile, "Well, it's nice to know that we're completely lost..." He trailled off, rubbing his hand absentmindedly up and down my arm.

The calm of the moment rested my uncertainty. Worn down, the small quiet gave me time to think through everything. It had been midday when we woke in the desert, yet, it had been night when Mercuremon had sent us there. At least a few hours had passed. Though, the maximum days that could've passed would be two days (Because, three days is the maximum a human can go without water and be alive) Two days! Everyone could be at Awakening Castle by now! Soon, I fell asleep, still feeling where the wings had been back when I was flying.

**Takuya  
><strong>Izumi was asleep against the ground. I knew she had to be exaughsted. Flying all the way from the desert to here... Then again, this was a better bet than the desert. The nightmare, though days ago, still haunted me. Just the idea of her, of anyone, dying alone, without any chance of living... Much harsher the more I thought about it. **  
><strong>  
>The forest seemed to be breathing. Trees swayed in the breeze, leaves rustled, Digimon ran around. It was beautiful. I coughed, disturbing the scilence that I was enjoying. Hearing the choke, Izumi stired. The sunset behind her just enhanced how pretty she was.<p>

As reading my thoughts, and deciding to prove my point to me, she smiled. "How're you feeling?" I felt her cool hand press against my forehead, "You're cooling down, that's good."

Weakly, I nodded, "I feel a bit better than before." With a small smile of graditude, I tried to stand up, "I guess we better start-" I winced in pain, grabbed at the side of my abdomen, and fell. My hand brought back something red. Red, and wet.

Izumi, horrified, took the rag she had been holding against my head and held it, and her hand, to the spot where I was bleeding. Despite how much presure she put there, she couldn't stop the flow.

Black spots clouded my vision.

Izumi, trying to think and act quickly, took her jacket off, and tied it tighter than normally possible around the wound. It helped, believe it or not. The black spots faded, and disapeared all together. Eyes wide, Izumi held my hand, rymthtictly pulsing her strength with a steady beat. "That... Was scary."

At that, I passed out.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Ren<br>**We walked. Without words, we walked. Tomoki was still shaking a little, startled. The brown haired boy was hurrying along, making quick progress. I barely kept up pace. I was distracted, my mind pawing at any idea. If they were in these Caves, the others were in great danger. Sorcermon made _that _clear. If an idea formed, I felt a pang in my chest.

_Worry, _I told myself, _it's worry. You know what worry is. It's a feeling.  
><em>  
>Soon, the sun began to blind us. Tomoki stopped, under the shade of a tree. As I felt a pang in my chest, I stopped next to him. I knew we had walked a long distance, but I soon heard his soft, choking cry.<p>

His eyes were hidden by his hands. With short, brown hair sheltering his face, he hid his tears. He had a quiet sob. The pale skinned boy was so.. Small. He was brave. I had seen that. Nothing detured his kindness; I had seen that too. But, he was small. He had to be ten, a little kid still. _That means he was in this mess two years ago, too._

I sat, and just for a moment, allowed myself to feel. I wrapped my arms around Tomoki, and let him cry. Just, scilence. "It'll be all right." I tried, voice faltering. I was just as close to peices, if not closer, than Tomoki. Bokomon and Neemon worked their way up into my lap, Sorcermon's hand on Tomoki's shoulder. A moment of scilence, where I felt pure sadness.

_What is wrong with me? _I thought. _Did one crying kid really bring back years of pressed up emotions?_ Pulling my thoughts together, I had to force myself not to stiffen. I had to remind myself that Tomoki didn't need me pulling back. Stiffening myself, thus pulling my sympathy and empathy away from the boy who needed it, would worsen this.

"Ren?" Tomoki asked, his voice no more than a croaking whisper, "Why are you crying too?"

I felt where the two, cold tear lines were. I hadn't even noticed. I forced a smile, "Just..." I wiped the tears away, "It's nothing." I lied.

Tomoki sniffeled, then wipping his eyes with his sleve, and stood up, "Thank you. All of you." He smiled at the four of us.

I stood, "Let's go." The apathetic edge to my voice returned, unfaltering. _Good_.

And, then we walked. Even more.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Izumi<br>**Takuya was hurt. I thought back. When could he have gotten hurt? My accidental tumble? He had fallen, yes. Wouldn't I have noticed the blood though? He has a crimson shirt, it could've easily blended. Another pulse of fear. "Please, Takuya, stay with me..." I pleaded. "I can't lose you..." Crying, I put my hands on where he was bleeding. I probably had my own wounds, but I couldn't care.

My thoughts wandered to my... Love for Takuya. No other way to describe it. Something just...

I snapped back to the present. A moan. Takuya looked up to me, eyes opening to reveal blank, amber eyes. I couldn't question. Too tired. Too relieved. "Izumi-chan, I'm all right." He croaked. His voice was harsh, but I didn't think on it. I should've.

But, I just smiled, "That's good."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Takuya<br>**_It was a moment of weakness. Outcold, probably suffering from minor blood loss, and worried to death about Izumi, I opened my eyes to darkness._

_"Ah, Takuya, you're back again." Lucemon goaded, an icy edge on his voice. Trying to move backwards, and then failing, I choked out a noise, to which Lucemon responded with a question, "I assume you remember my offer?"_

_I nodded my head, "It would... Work?" I asked, a sudden fear reembedding itself in the front of my mind. A fear for Izumi._

_Lucemon sighed, "Yes. Completeing the deal would... Protect the Warrior of WInd dying the way she is fated." Then, he added, "Ophanimon is the one who planned her fate."_

_"O-Ophanimon?!" I choked. Would Ophanimon really plan Izumi's death, just to save this world?_

_"Yes, Takuya, Ophanimon." He smirked, "The Phrophecy is very, very specific. If the Water Warrior dies, The Wind Warrior lives. Vice Versa."_

_"Why... The Water Warrior?" I couldn't force out Ren's name, for some reason._

_"To spite Ophanimon. She was the one who picked the Chosen Children who live, and who dies. She fated The Wind Warrior to die by Duskmon's sword. If The Wind Warrior didn't die, then her plan wouldn't work." He explained, pushing the knife towards me._

_I took it, and then a bright light overtook my senses._

* * *

><p>Now, I hid the weapon behind my back. Izumi didn't need to worry. I smiled at her, "Izumi-chan, I'm all right" I noticed that my voice was harsh, cold, with a razor edge.<p>

Smiling, Izumi took my hand again. It was a foregin sensation. I couldn't... Feel the warmth that I should. I was changed. Something had changed me. I forced a smile at her, hoping that she would buy it. Either she did, or didn't question it. "Be still." She warned, "It's been about an hour now, so I'm going to check it." Instantly, the jacket-turniquet loosened.

Izumi put her hands against where the cut had been, "I don't think it's bleeding anymore." She announced with a grateful sigh. Slowly, she pulled my shirt up, and took the wet rag against the side of my stomach. The water was cold, and I shivered.

"It's... Gone." Izumi exclaimed, with shock.

"I think it's because we're data here. It only took minutes for small cuts and bruises to heal, something like this would heal in an hour, right?" I rationalized, attempting to stand. "We better get going. Awakening Castle isn't going to come to us."

Standing with me, Izumi nodded her head, "Yeah..." Then, we began walking.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Ren<br>**We saw Awakening Castle. It was a beautiful stone outline against the sunset. After the little breakdown earlier, seeing solid evidence that we were getting closer cleared my... Worry. I had to get used to that. Sorcermon, however, dejected that.

"We're heading the wrong direction to get to the Caves." He remarked.

"Didn't you say there was an underground entrance? You know, from under Awakening Castle?" Tomoki reminded.

"Well, yes." Sorcermon remarked, "But, remember, we caved it in."

I added in, "If it's been caved in, we can clear it." Sorcermon stared at me, so I continued on, "I mean, if it's caved in by rocks, we can easily break through those. I mean, Lori has an Earth Spirit."

"If she's alive." Bokomon remarked, sitting on my shoulder.

Neemon, who worked his way into my arms, shrugged, "Naw. She's too stuborn for that."

Tomoki smiled, "Is she ever."

I forced myself not to smile. It was getting harder to hide my feelings, I'll admit. So, I focused on the Castle. It was a little trick to keep myself from doing something stupid. Focus on something else. "How long do you think it'll take to get there?" I interject.

Sorcermon looked from the spot we where, to Awakening Castle, back to where we stood. "At this pace, I'd say before dark." At first, relief spread, "But, we'll have to keep up this speed for hours." I groaned.

Tomoki grabbed my hand, careful not let Neemon fall, and pulled me along at an even FASTER pace. Barely able to support my own weight anymore, I felt my legs move without my own vindiction, faster with the seconds.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Izumi<br>**I knew something was wrong. I could feel it. The way the tension bristled between us. It was like a kinfe. _A knife? Where did I come up with that? _Strange simile (and alitteration) aside, the sclience was deafening. It was like.. A change. From the time he passed out, from the time he woke up, Takuya had changed. I blamed the minor blood loss.

Anytime I looked to my right at the forest, I would see a digimon - the same one every time, to boost - get closer, and then back away. I studied it more everytime it got near. It was like a walking cat, with two gloves on its paws, and crystal blue eyes.

"You're Chosen Children, aren't you?" It suddenly asks. The voice was young. Then, the cat stared at us.

"Yeah, we are." Takuya growled. He still had that cold, cruel edge of anger. Could I blame that on blood loss too?

The cat just rolled its eyes, "Follow me."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Ren<br>**"We're here." Sorcermon announced, maybe an hour later. I dropped. Without Tomoki pulling me at past my top speed, my leg muscles were about the consistency of jell-o (A colloid, or semi-soild) "Perhaps we should rest before we go on?" Sorcermon suggested, seeing my collapse.

I shook my head, pulling myself up, "We still have a good way to go, and I would perfer to be in that Castle before nightfall."

Tomoki nodded, "Yeah..." We all knew who I was alluding to, "Still, Ren, you look worn out."

I shook my head again, "Eh, I'll be fine." I remarked, with an apathetic cold to my voice.

"You say that now..." A voice, not any of ours, growled. No one else noticed it. I assumed that it was in my head. I mean, too little sleep (And so far, in the past three or four days, I've had none) can cause stuff like that. "Just wait, Prophet."

_Prophet._ What did that even MEAN? Ophanimon, the Digimon, The Celestrial Angel, who sent me here, called me that also. Ah, just call it another mystery to investigate. I began to walk forward, "Let's go." I called back.

"_Agh!_" A searing pain jolted through my left leg. I had shattered my knee cap a few years back, during a volley ball game without any kneepads (Don't dive without knee pads) . Times like this, when I'd worn myself down, the pain would act up. But, this was different. It was like someone had _slashed _my leg. I hit the ground.

"Oscureomon!" Sorcermon cried out, shock and fear mixed together in his voice. "What... How!"

Oscureomon, or what I assumed to be him, chuckled, "Wouldn't you like to know." I opened my eyes, then found myself looking up at the same Digimon from my nightmare. The one that resembeled my Human Spirit. Seeing him in the light, I was able to catch all his features. I was terrified even more. His eyes were silver. Just like the ones I had seen on my reflection when I evolved. But I remembered my reflection. Those eyes that had looked back at me, that were mine, were startling, bright. His eyes were dull, like metal that couldn't shine. _Avero Oscureo_. Dark Steel. Framed by dark skin, his eyes just bore into my soul, without any feeling in them. Not the fake coping mechanisim I had. A true, unemotional stare. I tried to look at his other features. Focus on something else. Everything was the same. The red hair, albeit not as long, was the exact same shade as mine in my Aguamon form. Then, I tried focusing on his weapon. A scythe. Logic told me, that was not a regular scythe.

As if reading my thoughts, Oscureomon raised his scythe, bringing it down in a downward arc. I lunged away, feeling myself slam against the ground. I scrambeled for the outer pocket of my bag. Out of breath, I fumbeled with the straps of the bag, tumbling away from another strike. Where was Tomoki? My hope was that he hid. He has a spirit, but I can't help but think that Oscureomon is stronger than us.

My hand latched onto the D-Scanner. I didn't even realize it was in my hands until I felt my self say:

"Spirit Evolution!"

Before Oscureomon's scythe could even swing downwards, I moved. The world was a blur. An actual blur. I hadn't realized it, but I had gone at such a high speed, that it was impossible for a human. Good thing I'm a Digimon now. Oscureomon cursed, and swung again. This time, I pulled my trident up, and blocked him.

"_Snow Bomber!_" I heard, and then saw Oscureomon fly backwards. I hadn't seen or heard Tomoki evolve. Maybe one Chosen Child could force the evoltion of another if situation called for it?

Without warning, Oscuremon put his palm out, and thin, metal, projectiles flew our way, "_Avero Darts._" I jumped in front of Kumamon, making sure that he didn't get hurt. I didn't care about anything else. Just protecting Tomoki. Energy, a sort of purpose, filled my spirit, and I let it realease, in a sudden burst.

"_Sea's Passion!"_ The water in the river rushed out, taking the metal darts out, not one touching us. Oscureomon, taking the full blunt of the raging attack, fell backwards. Knowing he was defeated, Oscureomon disappeared into the forest. I turned back into my human self. Now that Oscureomon had left, my extreme worry took its toll. I passed out, hearing Tomoki's voice, "Thank you."

All I could ask for.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Bokomon<br>**I rushed out from the hiding spot. That's the way it was. Attacking Digimon comes along, we're forced to hide. Out in the open, able to breathe without fear of being heard, I ran towards them. Before we reached them, Ren collapsed. Not surprising, seeing as she just summoned a tsunami of sorts. The sun was almost down, giving a morose feel to the scene. Why did I have the feeling that it would happen again?

Before I could voice my concern, Witchmon - one of the top war leaders - appeared in front of us, litterly materilizing from air. It was rumoured that she could teleport short distances, but now it was fact.

"Witchmon-" Sorcermon began, but Witchmon stopped him.

"I saw. Oscureomon could return at any moment." She advised, "We'll discuss in the castle."

"But," Neemon pointed out, "We can't go anywhere with Ren out cold!"

Witchmon clicked her tounge, then putting her hands out in a sarcastic gesture, "Well, they don't call me _Witch_mon for nothing." Suddenly, a tingling sensation spread across my skin, and when I opened my eyes, we were inside the castle's tall, stone walls.

Neemon gasped, "Woah!"

Witchmon stumbled backwards, "It's draining to do that." She explained, recovering her balance.

I looked around. It seemed that we were in the infirmiry. The walls were white, blank. Plenty of cots were filled up, with digimon of every size. My heart panged with sadness at seeing a terribly hurt baby digimon. It probably didn't understand what war WAS. The poor thing would grow up, and become a either a Warrior or a Scout like the rest of us.

Needless to say, I couldn't wait until the war was over.

A KnightChessmon, one who served as a gaurd in the Castle, came up to Witchmon, with a worried look in his eyes, "Miss," He asked, "Who are these humans?"

"They're Chosen Children." Witchmon snapped back at him, "Ophanimon told us they were coming."

Tomoki interupted, "I think Ren's hurt." He pointed at her, just in case they didn't get the idea.

The KnightChessmon bent down next her, then noticing the blood on her leg. Tenatively turning her over, KnightChessmon gasped when he saw her condition. A gash, right across her left leg. "Get her to the examination room. Now!"

* * *

><p>It was midnight when they finally let us in. The examination room was small, with a cot in the middle. Ren, laying with her brown hair tangled below her head, was either asleep or still out cold on the white sheets. The gash was now covered by a thick bandage, but the memory was still quite potent. Her breathing was deep, even. Good sign, I thought.<p>

"How long would it take to heal?" I heard Witchmon question the Medicmon.

The Medicmon shook her head, the black curls flying wildly, "A few days. Weeks. I'm not sure. From what we know, the humans heal at the same rate as Digimon. A cut would only takes minutes to heal. But, _his _scythe is so... Deadly." Medicmon played with the edges of her skirt, "You're lucky that the scythe missed her heart."

Tomoki nodded at her, "I get it." His voice was dark, tired, and sad. He had been up since before dawn, and it was now midnight. The poor boy was probably worn down.

Witchmon shooed the KnightChessmon and Medicmon out, and then explained sullenly, "We'll leave you alone."

With the shut of door, scilence enveloped. The white walls became frightening, too clean. Too foreign. Neemon and I were used to the forests. The dust, the leaves. This room was... Just too much. I felt Neemon quivering next to me. He was feeling the same way.

Tomoki was sitting on the chair next to the cot, head down. Somehow, he was still awake. Even Neemon and I were drifiting in and out of sleep. "Tomoki-han," I warned, "You should sleep."

He looked up at me, then shook his head, "No, I should stay here."

Neemon interjected, "You can stay here. But you've been up since the night before. Maybe Bokomon's right."

I sighed, "Of course I'm right. And you have a point." I crawled up to where Tomoki was sitting, "You're not doing anyone a lick of good pushing yourself too far."

Tomoki nodded his head, and within a few minutes, his head drooped. Ah, good, he was asleep. Neemon soon followed, curled up at the foot of the cot. I smiled, "Might as well follow their example."

In the morning, we awoke to screaming, shouting, and bloodshed.


	12. Awakeing Castle's Walls

It was midday on Liri's and Kouji's second day of traveling when they saw the Castle. The walls rose high above the trees. Distant shouts, the sounds of swords clanging, arrows thunking, cannons, and high-pitched terrofied screams echoed through the pathway. Kouji was ahead of her by far, keeping her a good distance from the battlefeild. Awakening Castle didn't seem so safe anymore. The sounds were agonizing to the young girl, and spiked her adrenaline. Another scream rang out.

"Kid," Kouji called, "Get your D-Scanner." His voice was dark, and orderly. The authority was there, impossible to miss. Frustration, determination, and pure anger concentrated on his throat, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Liri's hand dropped to her jacket pocket, pulling the brown and pink device out, causing the adrenaline in her blood to drop to a safer level. The D-Scanner calmed her. Yet still, shivers went down her spine, but before she or Kouji could act, they heard another blood-curdling scream, and they flinched.

"Get up!" A female voice, strong and bewitching, rang out the command, "The battle's not over!" Liri looked up to see a bob-cut blonde woman, wearing garb like a witch. Her skirt, all the way to her ankles, was tight, but she manuvered the mass of the battle without a hitch, gliding almost. Her nails were sharp, a red color. Liri saw that a black cat followed her, ghosting around, lithe and fast, never in the same place twice. "_Baluluna Gale." _Wind released from the woman's hands, buffetting the attacker before her, who fell, taking out a few of his own men in the process.

KnightChessmon appeared behind Witchmon, and then pointed his sword to where the two human children stood. He knew that Ophanimon told the children to come, but he hadn't expected them to arrive in the midst of a battle. "Ma'am, the Chosen Children. They-"

She waved her hand at him, "Yes, yes, I see." she took a sharp intake of breath, then continued with, "Inconvenient timing. We have one Chosen Child wounded, and those two are standing around like..." She was about to say "Disorented kids" but then remembered that they were just that.

Witchmon then, like a leaf in the wind, manuvered her way through the battleground, past Medicmon, tending to a wounded Sealsdramon, passing Commander Meramon, and finally dancing her way around the final line of enemies, before reaching the Chosen Children. To the shocked children, Witchmon looked as much like an enemy as the rest of the Warriors. With D-Scanners at ready, they were even more so confused when Witchmon's battle stance droped.

"You must get to safety," She warned, "These battles last days, and I can't put children into the mess." Before they knew it, her claws were on their shoulders, and they instictively looked up at her. Witchmon's crystal blue eyes periced them for a second, but then a tingling sensation wafted across their skin, and they disappeared.

Witchmon charged back into battle, with a much better feeling now that she wouldn't be looking out for the Chosen Children, taking out the digimon who tried to attack her. They fell, left and right, leaving no room for mercy. If one fell, they took out a teammate. Meramon was having about the same amount of luck as Witchmon, watching another attacking Warrior fall. Why don't they give up, he wondered.

By the time the sun was peaking the through the trees, Awakening Castle was once again safe, all attackers retreating towards the forest, towards the Caves. Some would even run as far as Mercuremon's Desert, but they weren't heading back. Not towards Awakening Castle.

* * *

><p>"You!" A voice called out, and Wizardmon clasped his hand on Kouji's shoulder, "You made it to Awakening Castle!" Wizardmon looked at the map Kouji had been given, "Babamon's map, eh? What a day you must've had."<p>

"What's going on?" Kouji demanded.

"A battle, that's what." Wizardmon answered, with sollumn, "Cherubimon launches one of these every week. See, if he could conquer Awakening Castle, he could run Terra Continent. All train tracks, unless destroyed, wind their way back here."

Liri looked at Wizardmon for a moment, then asked, "Why aren't you fighting? You're a fighter, right?"

Wizardmon sighed, "Normally, yes. But we're not taking chances today. There's a wounded Chosen Child," he indicated to the door he was standing in front of, "and we're all afraid that somehow, someway, one of Cherubimon's slaves will get in here." As he said it, a crash sounded from father away in the hall, and they all turned to it.

"Wait, wait, you said WOUNDED Chosen Child." Kouji pointed out, "Who is it?"

Wizardmon looked around, then, deciding that it was safe, began to speak, "Well, I don't exactly keep track of names. I mean, I barely remember to wake my Squadron every morning."

Liri thought of better plan, and voiced it, "What did he or she look like?"

"I dunno. I was really paying more attention to the bloody gash, not physical features." Wizardmon pointed to his hat, in a sarcastic manner, "I mean, that's what MOST medics do."

Shrinking away, Liri apoligized with a soft spoken, "I'm sorry." She lowered her head, the way a little kid would if in trouble.

"Eh?" Wizardmon raised his eyebrow, but then lowered the expression, "It's okay, kid. I guess we've all had long days."

Kouji, glancing back at the window, gaped in shock, "... Come look."

That's when they saw it. The attackers were fleeing backwards, all retreating in terror. In the center of it all, Witchmon was dealing with the last of the attackers, gracefully knocking each aside without issue. To her left, they noticed Meramon was having the same amount luck. All ran from his fire. To her right, there was Medicmon, showing a great deal of physical prowess for one so small, her heavy armour preventing more harm than any Kevlar could. Combined, with the other soilders at their sides, the three were almost unstopable.

The attackers fled without much incident - a few tripping over each other to leave faster. Witchmon lead the soilders back inside the fort, while many Golemon rushed out, and began repairs on the stone walls. The walls of the fortified Castle looked like somone had taken a large explosive and set it off at the gate. The sentry posts were crumbling ruins.

Now nervous, Kouji turned to Wizardmon, "You said that these attacks happen frequently."

Wizardmon nodded his head, "Yes." He paused, "So?"

"SO," Kouji growled, "What if they turn around and decide to attack while the wall's still down?"

Shaking his head, Wizardmon explained, "Churbimon's army may be loyal, may be strong, but they aren't smart. Never once has one of them turned around and attacked while we repair something."

"It's like they need Churbimon's orders to act." Witchmon cut in, almost appearing out of thin air. She looked more pale than usual. Her dress was tattered at the ankles; her lithe cat sagged behind; her broom's straw wily. "They were only told to do one thing, not to do another thing to accomplish that one thing. Something about the control over them keeps them from having ingenuiety."

Liri nods her head, "I remember Andermon, from the first village my sister and I came to. It was like he was there to accomplish one thing, and he went blindly after it."

KnightChessmon nodded his head, then shutting his eyes, sighing tiredly. He turned to the children, "I assume-" He got cut off by Kouji.

"Who's in the medical room?" He questioned, impaitent as ever.

Witchmon answered, her voice gentle, soft, and tired, "A young boy, and the injured girl. Bokomon and Neemon too." She shut her eyes for a moment, but reopened them quickly, as if she were afraid of falling asleep.

Turning to Medicmon, Wizardmon asked, "Would the paitent be stable by now or..?"

Medicmon's bouncy black curls seemed to portray her happiness, "She's been fine since around midnight of last night. It'd be okay to let them in." As if proving her point, she glides past Wizardmon, and opens the door.

It was a stark white room. The severity of it blinded Liri and Kouji. At the sound of the door opening, Tomoki rushed over, D-Scanner at ready. It only took a second for him to realize that it was only Kouji and Liri. It took him another second to realize that, hey, it's Kouji and Liri! He bolted towards them, releaved at seeing them alive. "Where's Takuya and Izumi?"

Kouji shrugs, "I thought they were here."

"Lori and Junpei?"

Liri sighs, then shakes her head, but soon smiles brightly, "I'm sure they'll get here soon!"

Under his breath, Kouji mutters inadiuably, "I hope so."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Ren<br>****Wake up, Ren. **

_I-I can't._

**They need you, Ren.**

_I'm dead weight. Useless._

**You're more clueless than I thought...**

"Wake up! C'mon, wake up!" Someone's strong voice cut through the darkness that surrounded my muddled thoughts. When I'd first opened my eyes, I thought I was blind. All I saw was bright white light. I felt someone shake my shoulder, so I blinked again, and as my eyes adjusted, I began to see again. Liri, Tomoki, Kouji, Bokomon, Neemon, and Sorcermon all stood around the bed.

"Wh-what happened?" I ask quickly, my thoughts still returning. I could feel the pain in my knee, but that wasn't something new to me.

Tomoki was the one who answered, "Oscureomon attacked us, remember." Bokomon shuddered.

I reached down and fingered the gauze around knee, before realizing that any movement of the gauze hurt alot. I winced back, and everyone got a little closer, all a little on edge. "I'm fine." I lie like a pro, holding myself in check.

Everyone let out a bit of a breath of relief, when Kouji then turned to the others, "Guys, can I talk to Ren alone?"

I almost choked when he said that. Okay, think back: Have I done anything worth being suspicious of? Actually, yes. I skirted around everyone's questions, never kept eye contact with them, and just seemed generally detatched. Who knows how they took that?

As the others exited, Kouji sat in the chair that Tomoki had slept in. "Are you really okay?" he asks.

I gave the most fake smile I have ever given, "What makes you think that I'm not okay?"

"You winced when you barely touched the bandage," he pointed out, "And that was a very unconvincing smile."

"I'm fine." I say again.

"You're hurt." he argued.

"How do you know?" I growl back.

"Becasue," he exclaimed, "You're you. You're the person who hides everything from people who need to know."

"I'm fine!" I insist, louder than I meant.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Kouji<br>**I looked over Ren again. She said that she was fine. "You have a gash on your knee." I remind her. "You're not going to convince me that you're fine."

She shook her head, "It's a cut. Nothing more. It'll heal."

"Wizardmon had to ask if you were stable before he let us in." I explain, "It must've been bad at some point."

Ren diverted her eyes. She always did that. It was annoying. "I was outcold last night because I had just gone through a fight, without sleeping for a long time. It was safe for them to assume that I might have been unstable."

I sighed, "You worry me." Ren was quiet after that, her attention suddenly focused on her idle hands. I don't know what I did, but appearantly, she was going to stay quiet. Something compelled me to continue, "You know why?"

With a blank face, Ren growled, "Why?"

I sighed, "You don't really care, do you? About yourself, or your health."

Ren looked away, but didn't answer.

"Well?" I growl, then stood up quickly. Within seconds, I fell back down. Even in bad condition, Ren jumped to make sure I didn't fall to the floor. "You're crazy." I told her, looking her strait in her eyes.

For a few seconds, she gave a sarcastic frown, "Nice to know."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Liri<br>**"Tomoki, is everything all right?" I ask, putting my hand down on his shoulder. We sat on the floor, Indian style, quiet as mice. I was trying to stay positive. I really was, but it was hard. Something like tension hung everywhere we went.

He looked at me, and we held each other gazes. His eyes were brown, like chocolate. "I'm just tired..."

"I bet last night was scary." I remark. _Stupid, of course it was._ That was the kind of thing Lori got onto me for. Impulsivesness.

Tomoki didn't notice, "It was. I couldn't even comprehend. I think Bokomon was smart to make me go to sleep."

I nodded my head, "Sleep sounds nice." I murmur, yawning.

Tomoki smiled, "Now, are you okay?"

"Yeah..." I say, looking up, "I bet I look like a mess." I remark absentmindedly. Tomoki probably thought I was shallow for saying that, but I honestly couldn't care. Not everyone's going to like me. It's a life lesson that I'm trying to learn.

If he thought so, he didn't say a thing, just leaned back against the wall, and smiled. "No worse than the rest of us." Just to prove his point, he played with the edges of my hair.

Okay, weird, but I didn't really give it much thought. I was too tired. I leaned back against the wall, the back of my head pressed against cool stone. "So, what happened to you guys before you got here?" Tomoki asks.

"Met some nice digimon, saw an ocean, walked. The boring stuff of our adventures." I remarked, laughing. "Well, meeting the digimon was... Interesting, to say the least." I add.

"Interesting?" Tomoki asks, a joking undertone to his voice. "Sounds nice." He murmured, the taking in a deep breath.

I shook his arm, "Hey, you didn't walk through the night. Don't you fall asleep." I repremand, jokingly, like I would with my sister.

"I did sleep in a chair. That's close enough." he remarked, sticking his tounge out.

"Oh, really?" I challange, "How is trudging through the forest 'close enough' to that?" We laughed, and then I took a look around the room. It was a long corridor, with beds lining on both sides, like a war hospital. Digimon from big to small sat, the ones with minor wounds at least. Connecting from this hallway, there was another, with doors every five feet. Something told me, that's where they kept the seriously wounded.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Kouji<br>**We were all sittiing on the floor in the hallway, maybe five hours later. We'd been waiting the whole time for some of our friends to arrive, or for some sort of news. Maybe they saw some kids pass by. Maybe they saw a battle, far in the distance. Nothing seemed to be coming in. They couldn't be _that _far away, could they?

Logic said yes, my head said no.

Liri and Tomoki were asleep with their heads against the wall, so there wasn't much conversation going on. I didn't like small talk anyhow. It wasted time. The two looked peaceful, so I decided against waking them up.

"Kouji?" I heard someone say from beside of me. I turned, and saw Ren sit down next to me.

"Yeah." I growl. Let's just say I was still kind of mad at her.

She opened her mouth to say something, then turned, and mumbled, "Nevermind."

Okay, maybe I was a bit too harsh. Not that I was going to tell her that. Something in my head wanted to make me mad at her, all the time. I don't know why, but I did.

I looked over at Tomoki and Liri again. Ever since the incident a few days ago, I got nervous when anyone slept. If it happened to Takuya and Ren, it could happen to anyone. Sleeping is such a common thing, it's nerve racking that we could sleep and have _something_ happen.

I heard shuffling next to me, and turned. Ren handed me a pacakage of pop tarts, and asked, "Hungry?"

"Where did you find these?" I ask, taking the package from her hands.

"My bag." she replied, clear as mud. "I guess I packed food... Maybe... How long ago was it when we got here?"

"You mean, this has been in your bag the whole time?" I ask, startled.

Ren shrugged, flipping through her bag, "I guess it has. I haven't really looked through it since we got here. There hasn't been enough time." She pulled out an energy bar, and began nibling on it. She didn't seem to have much intrest in the food. "Should we wake them up?" Ren asks, refering to Liri and Tomoki.

"Naw, let 'em sleep." I respond, "They're still little kids."

"Yeah, I know." Ren growled, her voice suddenly sullen. What did I say?

We sat in scilence for a bit longer, until finally, we heard a crash down the empty hall behind us. My first reaction was to grab my D-Scanner. I turned, but all I saw was the empty hall. "What could that be..." I mumble, putting my hand on my chin. "We heard the crash too, during the battle earlier."

"I saw that the wall was damaged, maybe some rocks fell while they were repairing it?" Ren suggested, "But the odds of us hearing it, in here..."

I nod my head, "Even if physics are a little off-"

"A _lot _off." Ren added.

"Sound waves shouldn't travel that far. Meaning something caused a crash, twice, in the same hallway, the day of an attack..." I let the thought hang, as I saw the lines on Ren's face darken.

She sighed, "Not good."

"Exactly." I mumble.  
><strong><em><br>_****_CRASH!_**

This time, the sound was closer, and we turned within milaseconds. But still, nothing again. "This is starting to get freaky, Kouji." Ren murmured, putting her hand on my arm. I looked at her for a moment. Was she scared? "As in, we might need to wake those two up."

"You think it's nesicary? I don't want to wake them up if it's avoidable." I explain.

"Hopefully, we won't have to, but if we hear another crash, it might be too late." Ren says, glancing back over at the sleeping duo. Still asleep, still oblivious.

I knew what she meant, "Yeah, good point..." I stood, and walked over to them, shaking Liri's and Tomoki's shoulders. Ren limped over, but shortly fell, giving an annoyed huff.

Liri moaned, then her eyes quickly shot open. "What's going on?" Liri asked quickly, eyes open wide.

"Calm down, we just heard some noises and thought it'd be smart to wake you two up." Ren explained, her voice unwavering.

Liri shook Tomoki, and when he didn't wake up, she punched him in the shoulder. That did the trick. He shot up, breathing quick. When he saw nothing out of the oridinary, he slumped back down.

"Why'd you punch me?" He asked, staring at Liri in accusation.

Liri shrugged, "You wouldn't wake up."

**_CRASH!_**

We all turned, and this time, there was something there. Maybe five feet away from us, was a tall, taut humanoid Digimon in grey robes, holding a scythe at ready. I grabbed my D-Scanner quickly. I locked eyes with Liri and Tomoki, and we knew what to do, instantly.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

All Hell broke loose in a matter of seconds. The digimon dissappeared, with a loud crash. It sounded like metal being broken apart. "Get back here!" I growl, turning, trying to find the intruder.

"If you say so..." The digimon taunted. I saw the flash of metal in the cornor of my vision, but I couldn't turn fast enough. I saw Ivymon, trying to fight back, swinging the whips in her hands, albeit doing nothing to the strong digimon. Kumamon was shooting at him, the snow being not enough to hold the attacker.

I swung my sword in my hand, and suddenly, the digimon took his attention off Ivymon and Kumamon, and I found myself face to face, sword to scythe with the digimon. In a split second, my guard broke, and I stumbled back. The intruder turned back to the room, and set his sights on where the most helpless one of us. Ren.

Hardly walking, Ren couldn't fight back from the Digimon. _This_ was Oscureomon. Ivymon was on the ground, winded, but the look in her eyes said she wasn't out. Breathing heavy, Kumamon was barely fighting back. We'd all seen what staying evolved through a whole night meant. Two nights in a row? Not pleasant.

I jumped in front of Ren, both swords drawn, at ready. Oscureomon's eyes widened for a second, but then he disappeared again. The same loud, metal crash. I turned to grab Ren, to get her out of there, but Oscureomon had reemerged, right in front of Ren. He swung the scythe, but she moved. Fast.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Suddenly, the battle turned quickly. All four of us combined seemed to be enough to at least hold him off. He would swing his scythe, and be met with four counter attacks. Suddenly, Witchmon rushed behind him, "_Aquary Pressure."_ The water threw Oscureomon to the ground, and he suddenly disappeared.

"Won't he just come back?" Ivymon suddenly asked, eyes startled.

"It's a risk we'll have to take." Witchmon answered, "You're all injured."

We looked at ourselves. Nicks, scrapes, and bruises were covering any exposed peices of skin. With a sudden, sure movement, we all collapsed, and returned to human form. "Here, follow me." Witchmon said, and we all stood, wandering listlessly after her.

* * *

><p>The room was about the size of a regular bed room, with small bunks everywhere. "This is an empty squadron room." Witchmon explained, "I doubt you kids will stay long, but until then, you will need a place to sleep."<p>

Ren gave a curt nod, "Thank you."

Liri gave a bright smile to the woman, "Yeah, thank you!"

After a few more thanks you's, Witchmon smiled, "I should thank you. Humans tend to foretell a fight, and a resolution. It's given my Warriors hope again." She left, sweeping out of the door, and shut it.

"Well, I think we did pretty good, for all that's it's worth." I tell the others, "Now let's get some sleep."

At that, we all passed out on different bunks.

* * *

><p>Maybe a few hours later, Ren shook me awake. "Wh-what is it? Did you hear another crash?"<p>

"No." She admits, her head down.

"Then why in hell did you wake me up?" I ask, growling a bit.

She looked at her feet, but then replied, "When I evolved, I heard this kid screaming 'No, no, stop, stop.' Did you hear anything, or am I just crazy?" she asked

I take a deep breath, "I already knew you were crazy, but I remember something like that the first time I was here." I looked her in the eyes, "It was my brother's voice. I think it's because we're closer to the spiritual side of things here when we evolve, we hear people we're connected to."

"_Podria ser? Mi hermano, que vive?_" Ren muttered, barely audiable. I didn't know much Spanish, but I could recognize it, and knew a few snipets. I caught the words "Brother" and "Alive" Suddenly, Ren's eyes looked to the window, as if she knew I had a partial translation, but appearantly, the thought slipped her mind, because her eyes widened, "_Se treta de ellos!" _She then turned to me, and grabbed my shoulders , "I mean, It's them!"

For a moment, I saw the brightest smile I'd ever seen. "It's Lori and Junpei!" Then, her smile dropped back into the apathetic girl that I saw all the time.

"Get some sleep." I tell her, "They're still a far way off, and you need the rest."

Ren nodded her head, "Sleep sounds okay." she mutters, her words mixed with some of her thoughts. When she was finally in her bunk across the room, I passed back out on my own bunk, exaughsted.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Lori<br>**We trudged on, feet numb from walking. We saw the castle far away, in the distance. Junpei was behind me. I heard the trees rustle in the distance, and suddenly, I was on the ground, the wind knocked out of me. I looked up, and saw a blur of grey and silver, before Junpei caught my attention. "Are you okay?"

I took in a breath, and nodded my head, "That was odd. Someone must be in a hurry." I remark, then standing up. "It's time we start hurrying too."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Hey, guys! It's been about a month, sorry sorry. I had exams, then a beach trip, and now guess what. I'M A HIGH SCHOOLER! FRICK YEAH!<em>**


	13. A Tail of Beasts Part One

**Takuya  
><span>****_Free me, Warrior of Flame._**

I woke up in a cold sweat, "Vitramon?" I whisper, deathly quiet so I wouldn't wake anyone. I could've sworn I heard Vitramon's - My Beast Spirits's - voice. The noise of deep breathing and light snoring filled my ears, scilence really. _Wh-where are you?_

_**Awake Me, Warrior of Flame.**_

Awake... Awakening Castle! My Beast Spirit had to be there! I almost turned to wake Izumi up, but then realized the stupidity of it. It was the middle of the night, she'd probably still be in a deep sleep... I could leave a note, tell her I just went for a walk and I'd be right back. No, she wouldn't believe that.

_All right then, I'll just start walking._ I slipped around the asleep Digimon in front of me. Then, the next. I cautiously tip-toed around Izumi. I thought I was finally home free, when I almost fell over another digimon. I tottered on the edge of my toes, but gratefully over stepped the Digimon.

_Thank goodness. _I started walking again, lightly stepping on the forest floor. Underground, I told myself, the Spirit will be underground. I couldn't just start digging, could I? Instead, I slipped around the forest, until I reached my destination.

The ground opened up, and steps spiraled downwards. This was where I was supposed to go. I raced down the dirt steps, and jumped two steps away from the bottom. The corridor was long, with a dome shapped ceiling. A few torches lined the walls, but stopped suddenly a few feet away. "Don't go farther" it said.

I grabbed a torch, and began walking towards my Beast Spirit.

* * *

><p>I woke up in the same corridor, the torch next to me, completely burned out. My breathing was heavy, and pain ripped through me. "Wha-? How'd I get here?" I didn't remember the night before, I didn't remember getting hurt, didn't remember anything.<p>

I looked around. The corridor was completely destroyed, scratches in the wall, scorches on the ground, puddles everywhere... Wait, puddles?

I tried to stand, but fell back down trying. I could barely breathe. My lungs felt scorched, my arms felt numb. I looked at my legs, and I saw a gash. A long, gash, that looks like it had come from a claw.

"Oh... no." a voice from somewhere in the darker corridor. A figure came rushing foreward, but I couldn't see anything. My vision was blury. I was battered.

"Wh-where am I?" I murmur, trying to understand what was happening. My throat was parched, so my words were coming out slurred.

The voice then replied, "You're in the Caves." I felt gauze wrap around my leg. "You were in a great fight." He says, blurry green eyes probably extremely wide.

"I-I was?" I question, "I remember grabbing a torch, and then I black out and I'm here." I try to explain.

The person (Digimon, I really couldn't see) sighed, "The Beast Spirits that are trapped here battle every night, each looking for a human weilder to increase their strength, to gain the edge on the other."

"What time of day is it?" I suddenly ask.

"Mid-oof!"

* * *

><p><strong><span>Izumi<br>**"TAKUYA!" I exclaim, wanting to hear a reply.

"He left in the middle of the night, I saw him!" Gomamon exclaimed.

"Why didn't you stop him!?" I scream.

"Izumi, calm down," Gabumon grabbed my wrist, which I promptly snatched away, "It's not like Takuya could get far in a few hours. We'll find him."

I nodded my head, still not throughly convinced. After Takuya's odd behavior yesterday, I didn't want to take any chances. Him leaving in the middle of the night, it scared me. His blank eyes, his weird monotone... Takuya, you really do scare me.

Gatomon turned to Gomamon, "Which way did he go?" Her voice was nasaly, but it demanded authority in a way only a true leader's voice could.

"That way. Towards the Caves." Gomamon exclaimed, and that's when I started running towards where he was pointing.

All I could care about was finding that goof ball. I rushed down the stairs that were cut into the ground, but Gatomon grabbed me back, "If Takuya's in there, he's dead. No one goes in the Caves and lives."

I ripped my arms away, "Well, I won't stop until I know for sure."

"Spirit Evolution!"

I'd walked for maybe a few hundred yards when I rounded a cornor, and saw it. Grumblemon, standing over a bloody Takuya. My instant reaction was to attack. The wind knocked Grumblemon back, into a crumbling wall. Quickly, he put his hands up in surrender. "I'm not the enemy, Kazemon!" He shouts, rubbing the back of his head.

"Prove it!" I growl, getting in position to attack again.

He pulled a medalion out of his pocket. I'd seen it on the Digimon at the refugee camp that Snimon attacked. "Ophanimon's Medalion." he says, "I'm on your side."

Assured, I move towards Takuya, "What happened?"

Grumblemon shrugged, "I only saw the end of the fight. The Beast Spirit overtook him, and threw him over here."

"The Beast Spirit?"

"The Beast Warrior of Flame, yes."

"Why'd it throw Takuya? He's used the Spirit before."

Grumblemon shook his head, "There are two Beast Spirits here, and they've been warring ever since the Digital World was reformed."

"Why?" I ask, "That makes no sense."

"Exact oposite Spirits. Legendary Flame, but the Raidence Water spirit. Fighting, all the time." Grumblemon explained, "They're the reason Awakening Castle will never be attacked through the underground, at least succsessfully. If something attacks Awkening Castle, the two will litterly stop fighting and wait for any enemy that might try to enter or exit through these tunnels."

"Wow..." I mutter, but then turn to Takuya, "Why would he come here, though? I mean, in the middle of the night..."

Grumblemon shrugged, "I don't know much about how humans and Spirits react. Only the Celestrial Angels would, being the creators of the spirits and stuff."

Takuya moaned, "Izumi? Is that Gr-?"

"Yeah, Grumblemon's on our side." I replied.

Takuya shook his head, "Nice to know." he tried standing, but fell quickly.

"Come, you must hurry. Cherubimon's servents will be here quickly." Grumblmon helped Takuya stand, pulling us both along at a fast pace - even if Takuya was limping. "They avoid battle sites, but they'll be patrolling soon enough."

When we reached the stairs, Grumblemon handed Takuya to me, "I cannot go farther."

I turn, "Huh?"

"Mercuremon knows I work for Lady Ophanimon, so he's bound me to this place, making it impossible for me to leave." Grumblemon explained, "I'd be up there fighting if I could."

I nodded my head, "Thank you, for your help."

"It's what a Warrior's gotta do."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Gatomon<br>**After waiting for about an hour, we were about to call Izumi a lost cause. At least, until we saw Kazemon fly strait out of The Caves, Takuya out cold in her arms. "What happened?" Gabumon questioned, as she landed, turning back to human form.

Izumi shook her head, "The details make no sense. It'd be better to let Takuya explain."

"Really?" Patamon asked, "He doesn't seem to talk much..."

"Well, he's usually talkative..." Izumi remarks.

I knew why Patamon was unnerved. I sensed that Takuya was off. That something else had taken over his body, or something was controlling him. I voted for the last one, considereing the fact a Spirit was still bonded to him. Bonded, Linked, whatever you call it.

"Well, let's let him recover, and maybe you can explain what you do understand." Agumon suggested, tugging at a tree limb nervously.

So, we all sat down at Adventure Village, crowded around the burned out fire pit, as Izumi told her story.

"I'm guessing that Takuya wandered down there for some reason, got in a fight, got knocked out, and then Grumblemon found him-"

"Who's Grumblemon?" Biyomon asks.

"A friend." Izumi replies, and then continues on, "Grumblemon helped him out, I guess, considering the fact he has guaze on his leg. Then I got down there, and we're here."

"SO why didn't Grumblemon come up?" Gomamon asked.

Izumi shrugged. She was holding back information, I could tell, but I didn't feel like questioning too deep. Everyone had their motives, and Izumi was probably just confused or something.

"So... What are your plans?" Biyomon asked, "You surely can not stay here forever."

Izumi laughed, "No, we can't. I guess we'll head to Awakening Castle, and catch up with our friends. Only reasonable course of action, really."

I nodded my head, "That makes sense..."

Suddenly, Takuya moaned, at started moving again. "Welcome back to the land of the Living, Takuya!" Gomamon joked.

"No kidding, I thought I was dead for a litle bit." Takuya then shook his head, "So, why am I back at Adventure Village? I thought I was in those tunnels..."

"You mean he really did go through the Caves! You're not joking, Izumi." Gabumon's voice held shock, that was for sure.

"Izumi makes jokes? Since when does _that _happen?" Takuya exclaimed, a joking tone in his voice... Maybe a bit too much. Was he worried? Izumi punched Takuya strait in the stomach. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!" Takuya screamed, "I'M ALREADY INJURED!

"Hmph! You run off in the middle of the night, get in a fight, and leave all of us without a clue!" Izumi banged Takuya on the back of the head, one last time before rolling her eyes.

Takuya looked at his shoes, "Would you stop punching me if I told you that I don't remember that?"

"Wha-?!"

"I mean, the fight part. I remember walking there, I just don't remember... Pretty much from entering the Caves to waking up in there." Takuya explains, but then grins, "Hey, I'm alive, that's all that counts." He was hiding something, like maybe he did actually care about what was going on.

Izumi seemed to think that too, because she pulled on his ear, "**Next time you do something like this, I'm pulling that ear off, ya got it!?**" she yelled.

"Abusive! She's abusive!" Takuya exclaimed, and then stood, "Well, I think we've cause these guys enough trouble, what'da think?"

Izumi stood up as well, "Yeah, we better get to Awakening Castle before dark falls." We all got the message there.

"Have safe travels!" Gabumon exclaimed, as the two began to walk off, into the distance.

"Don't do something stupid!" Agumon warned.

"They're still human, aren't they?" I mutter.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Takuya<br>**I looked over at Izumi, "Please tell me you're still not mad..." I ask, hoping to avoid another round of being punching bag. It wasn't fun, even if it really didn't hurt that much... I playfully pushed her, and smiled, "Please?"

"No... And I'm not abusive. I was just... Gah, I don't know." Izumi put her head in her hands, "You really scared me, Takuya-san. I mean, with everything that's been happening, the attacks, the weird dreams, the-"

I cut her words off, "Izumi, have you been having weird dreams too?" Maybe I wasn't alone in Lucemon trying to corrupt me. I'd already thrown that knife away, but I'd still hear his taunting voice in my dreams.

She nodded her head, "They're kinda surreal. I'm outside of my body, watching how much you guys had to save me back on our first adventure... I don't want to be like that. Not again."

"Hey, you know what, you saved me today."

Izumi looked over at me, "Hm? How?"

I put my arm around her, "You smiled."

* * *

><p>We kept walking for the longest time before the sun started setting, and my stomach started growling, "Uh... Yeah, I think that's the key to stop."<p>

"No, we need to get going. I'm sure there's food at Awakening Castle." Izumi snapped, and I frowned, which she caught, "Look, I just don't want to be out here when it's dark."

I nodded my head, and we began walking towards the Castle again, when it began to rain. "Aww, come on!" I groan, trying to cover my head.

Izumi kept walking, dragging me by the arm, through the pouring, sopping wet rain. It took a few seconds for my entire body to go numb with cold, "Come on, Takuya, we need to keep moving." Izumi's voice brought me back, and we began running, until I tripped over something, and found myself looking up at Duskmon.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Izumi<br>**I grabbed my D-Scanner out, almost backing away. I knew that Takuya was hurt, from his fight the night before. Duskmon instantly raised his swords, and looked straight at me, "Useless." he growled, then turning to Takuya, ready to attack. Ready to kill.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

The wind around me picked up, and knocked Duskmon away from Takuya. Duskmon seemed dazed, or at least shocked. Then, he rushed at me, swords drawn, but for once, I was ready. "_Roseo Temporale!_" I kicked Duskmon rapidly, hoping that at least one blow might do some damage. I saw his swords fly away, and as I flew upwards, saw Duskmon step backwards, out of breath.

"You've gotten stronger, but you're wings are about to clipped, Butterfly." he taunted, brandishing a red orb of light in his hand, "_Geist Aband!_" The red energy beamed towards me, and hit me right in the stomach.

I thought I was dead, right then. Duskmon had been so powerful before, but I'd never been hit by one of his attacks. All the air withdrew from my lungs, as if to say, "Heh, sorry, no, we're leaving." For a second, I saw nothing but black, and a pair of red eyes, and I heard Takuya scream, "Izumi!"

I opened my eyes, and suddenly I was attacking again, "_Brezza Petalo!"_ Duskmon fell, as the wind buffetted him. Was.. I winning? I landed, and watched in horror as Duskmon moved towards Takuya again. "_Tornado Gamba!"_

Duskmon landed only a few yards away from the injured Takuya, but away was away. Suddenly I saw a blur of black and red, and a hand around my throat. "_Memory Disturbance." _Pain ripped through me, but, nothing really happened other than that. Pain, darkness, and then I was dropped, right onto the ground, "My power doesn't work in the daytime..." Duskmon muttered.

"But mine does!" I counter, and give one last try at taking Duskmon down, "_Brezza Petelo!"_ This time, the close range of the attack, and the strength I put behind it, threw Duskmon into where the sunlight reached, and he retreated. I sat down next to Takuya.

"You did really good." Takuya remarked, "That's twice you saved me."

* * *

><p>We reached the Castle right when the sun went down. The wall was damaged, but it did have a bunch of Golemon working on it. "Hey, look, it's the humans!" One shouts, point at us.<p>

A digimon in knights armour rushed out, along side Wizardmon. "Good to see you two alive." Wizardmon exclaims, ushering us inside. The opening hall was large, but rather plain. All our friends were sitting on the floor, probably waiting for us. All six of them were right there, brusied and banged up, yes, but alive. We rushed to sit down next to them.

"It's good to see you two." Liri, gigly and bubbly, exclaimed.

"It's good to see everyone." I reply, smiling.

"So... Does anyone have any food?" Takuya asks, and then suddenly got hit in the stomach by a packet of pop tarts, "Could you have done that any more gently?"

"No." Ren replied, cold as ice. She hands me a packet, "Hungry?" I nodded my head, and took it.

"So, we're living off junk food found in the bottom of someone's bag now?" Junpei asks.

Everyone pretty much agreed to that plan. Food was food, and we did more than enough walking. Even if it WAS from a bag, it was packaged, so it wouldn't spoil. And hey, I happen to like food. Especially after winning a fight like that...

Lori laughed, "I'll eat anything that isn't poisioned." she joked.

"I'd rather die with a full stomach than die hungry." Tomoki replied.

"Agreed there!" We all exclaim, and start munching on the packaged food.

* * *

><p>I woke up in the middle of the night, to the noise of shuffling. The door to our room was completely wide open, and I saw someone walk out it. Should I follow them, or wake everyone else up? In the end, I stood up, and apparently woke Kouji, because he bolted up. "Not again..." He muttered.<p>

"What'da mean, not again?" I whisper.

"The same thing happened last night. There was this huge fight down in the Caves, and I think Ren and Takuya were the ones fighting..." He explained, and we started running.

**_A/N Okay, short chapter is short, and bad pun is bad (It's nine pages, but still pretty short... Compared to twelve, XD) But, you know, I really just didn't have any ideas for this one... Because Chapter 14 (begins crying for I know the plot and you don't)... Will make up for the lost pages, I assure you._**

_**So, uh, maybe Duskmon being weaker needs an explanation. I remember someone saying that "Ranamon is more powerful around water!" So, wouldn't the same be true for all spirits? So, Duskmon is reduced back down to his regular Human Spirit power when not around darkness. (Kazemon being able to kick his A**... Is another thing entirely, it has to do with "The power of your Confidence in yourself!" IT MAKES SENSE... Chapter Seventeen)**_

_**So, Reveiws. I like them. 'Case ya can't tell. (Hey, no worries, right. Aim's the Application!)**_

_**~Agua-san, OUT.**_


	14. History

_**So, hey guys~ I think you know the whole "Digimon belongs to Toei and Bandai and (now) SABAN, this is purely for fun" Yada yada, but it must be said.**_

_**Izumi: LET THE SHOW GO ON! (Not that there really is a show today)**_  
><em><strong>Me: Aren't you helpful.<strong>_

_**History**_

* * *

><p><em>In the begining, The Digital World had been a chaotic, unruly place. Gaeamon, a sleeping voice that haunted dreams and taunted souls, walked the earth, her territory. She promised power, on her side. As long as you destroyed everything in your path, you were invincible. Soon, three Angels appeared, each standing for a morale. Love, Hope, and Courage. Ophanimon, Serphimon, and Cheurbimon. A war was waged, between them and Lucemon - Gaeamon's active servant.<em>

_It was obvious who was winning. Lucemon was powerful, and with Gaeamon's power behind him, he was near unstopable. It was this time when the Ten Ancient Warriors were called, awakened from their slumber. Power like theirs, espically when the ten could work together, was enough - combined with The Celestrial Angels - to dispell both Lucemon and Gaeamon, for a time._

_The Ancient Warriors, as they died to seal Lucemon away, split the pure escence of their core into three parts - and thus, the Thirty Spirits. Each Angel was entrusted with ten escenes, one of each elements. No one knows which set of spirits was created first - Many say Ophanimon created the Raidence Spirits first, but there's more proof that Serphimon was the true mind behind the idea._

_Each Spirit Set had defining characteristics. The Raidence Spirits were all feminine, protective, and agressive. The Legendary Spirits were a mixture, being strong, being weak, all depending on the weilder. The Shaymen Spirits were all masculine, passive, and thinkers._

_The Digital World lived in harmony, for the longest time, under the Angel's reign. Yes, they did argue about how to govern the world, but it was the rivarly between Serphimon and Cherubimon that pushed them to do more than their best for this world. But it would soon turn sour._

_Lucemon was waking, that we all knew. A seal could only last so long. But no one ever expected Lucemon to be able to corrupt an Angel. Cherubimon was weak minded, that was true. Jelousy may have clouded his thoughts. No one knows, at least definitively. But, somehow, the Celedtrial Angel of Courage went on the attack, in a Beast versus Humanoid war._

_After a few years, Ophanimon saw an oppritunity. A World, where Cherubimon had no influence. The Human World. She called for any human that would help, and five heroes rose from the masses. Takuya Kanbara, Izumi Orimoto, Kouji Minamoto, Tomoki Himi, Junpei Shibamya. Flame, Wind, Light, Ice, and Thunder._

_The heroes arrived at Flame Terminal just as a servent of Cherubimon was attacking. Takuya evolved, and saved the day. Each child then began to gain their spirits, fighting through the toughest of opponents. But even they had limits._

_The Dark Continent is full of mysteries. Not one of them as terrifying as the mystery of Duskmon, The Corrupted Human Spirit of Darkness. As powerful as a mega in the dark, Duskmon could easily take on five beast spirits. It wasn't until the power of Double Spirit Evolution - the power to merge two spirits together - was unlocked that they discovered the truth._

_Cherubimon had drawn a human's soul - Kouichi Kimura's soul - to the Digital World. After tricking him into beliveing that he was a Digimon, he set Duskmon on the loose, and waited, for the day that the Children would meet their fate._

_But, as the story goes, the children Purified Cherubimon, rescued the Digital World, and set things right again. The Spirits took form - at least, ten of them did. All the Legendary Spirits became the protectors of the world, while the other twenty stayed dormant, forgotten about._

_The Digital World soon restored harmony. The Celestrial Angels worked together, the Legendary Warriors protected the Digital World, and everything was generally happy. This lasted for ten decades - only two years in the Human's World._

_Horrible earthquakes shook the world; Tsunamis killed everything in sight; Wildfires raged; Tornados struck; Volcanoes errupted. Every natural disaster that could happen, it happened. Serphimon was the first Celestrial Angel to go missing. No one, not Ophanimon, nor Cherubimon, knew where he was. It was assumed that he was dead._

_Then, Cherubimon began attacking again. Riling up any and all Digimon he could, sections of the Digital World went peice by peice, slowly making a chipped world._

_Terra Continent became the only place left. Islands floated close by, such as the Island of Hopes and Dreams, but none were big enough to be called 'land'. The last stand will have to be made here. Hopefully, the humans can return in time._

-From, _A History of the Digital World _by Bokomon and Neemon

* * *

><p><span><strong>Bokomon<br>**I was writing more in my book. I tried to write down everything I heard, even if I didn't understand it. Why did Duskmon attack Izumi and Takuya today? And how did Izumi win? What was causing all these injuries on Takuya and Ren that had no explanation? How safe was Awakening Castle, with Mercuremon's Caves and Desert so close? It made no sense, but I wrote it down anyway.

I tried my hand at theroizing. Maybe Cherubimon needed the children dead, at all costs? Maybe Duskmon had a vendetta against humans? That wouldn't make sense... Kouichi was human, so why would he have a vendetta against other humans? It had to be that Cherubimon needed them dead. Maybe they were a threat to his plans? Yes, probably.

As for Izumi being strong enough alone to defeat Duskmon - or at least make him run away - I believe it was because Duskmon just isn't as powerful during the daytime. The rain might've covered the sun, but there was still light. But, Izumi seemed more powerful now. Something about the pink aura that Kazemon gave off when she was fighting... It was stronger than the aura she had even as Shutumon.

See, some Digimon - Like myself - can see the aura of a human who is evolved, and that Aura can be bright, or soft. I've determined that the brighter the aura, the more powerful the digimon. Izumi's aura had been passive when I first met her, and it began to grow. By the end of our adventure, it was so bright... But, as she fought off Hercmon (A mega, for pete's sake), it was even brighter, I was amazed.

They all had bright aura's now, of varying levels, but there were four that were the brightest. Takuya, Izumi, Ren, and Kouji. Amazing... Just amazing.

I sighed, and closed my book. "Well, Neemon, I dare say it's time I slept." I looked around. All the children were asleep, breathing heavily. Just as I closed my eyes and curled under some covers, I heard something. I sat straight up, and saw a pair of bright blue eyes looking straight at _me. _Takuya turned, and left the room, the door shut tight.

* * *

><p><em><span>Ryoumi<br>__I woke up in the same cell I was in when I passed out. I looked at my hand, and almost screamed. My skin was only half-way visible. Scratch that, my whole body was only half-way visible. I could see past the bars now. The land in front of me was a disorenting mess. The cell was only one floating island. There were thousand others. Scraps of light floated around. If I focused on one for long enough, I could see parts of memories, but no names came back. Just foreign sceneros._

_In front of the cell was four cages and two torches. They were set up parallel to each other, where there was a cage, a torch, then another cage on the left side, and on the right side: A cage, a torch, a cage. What was inside the cages disturbed me even more. Raven-like birds, their eyes tired, feathers rumpled._

_"What sick person put you guys in the cages?" I asked, as if they could answer._

_Surprisingly, one did, "Mercuremon."_

_Another crowed, "He's a bad Digimon."_

_"What's.. A Digimon?"_

_That's when everything got sorted out. Digimon were creatures that inhabited the Digital World, which was a paralell world to The Real World (Which I assume is what they called my world) Currently, it was at war. The Cherubimon that Mercuremon mentioned was the leader of the army trying to destroy the whole world._

_"Wouldn't that kinda... Not work out for him?" I ask, "I mean, if there's no world..."_

_"The world's made of data." The raven on my farther left said. She wimpered, then continued, "Once Cherubimon has the data, he can remake it the way he wants it. A chaotic place ruled by mass destruction."_

_After what felt like an hour of explanations, I only had one more question to ask, "I keep hearing about this Prophet. Who is that?"_

_The closest raven on the right shook his head, "We've been caged for a long time. The war is old news. This Prophet must be new."_

_The raven behind him clicked her tounge, then squealed, "The Prophecy!"_

_"You bat, what does that old poem have to do with anything?" The raven across from her spat._

_She responded curtly, "Everything." She took a deep breath, and then said, "There's a line in there talking about The Three Prophets._

_**The Celestrial's Prophets shall sacrafice all to save a world not their own/From the tragedy a traitor has sown**."_

_"What's the whole Prophecy, exactly?" I ask, hiding the fact I was panicing on the inside. Or at least, hopefully._

_"No one knows the full prophecy," The farthest raven on the close left growled, "It's been lost and distorted for so long, we're only left with a few clips here and there." With a laughing, joking tone he added, "And only she has enough paitence to memorize the thing."_

_I couldn't help but laugh, "Being paitent is good thing though." I point out. Then, we all get quiet. After a few minutes, I ask, "Who are you all?"_

_"Ravenmon." they all answer together. Then, to clarify, they add, "All digimon usually just go by their species name."_

_"Usually?"_

_The Ravenmon closer to me on my left answered, "Some of us have names."_

_The Ravenmon farther from me on my right cheerfully added, "Like us!" She then pointed to her red feather - the one thing diferentiating her from the others, "I'm Red."_

_"I'm Wulf," The Ravenmon closer to me on my left then said._

_I looked at him for a second, "Why, exactly?"_

_The Ravenmon behind him replied, "Because he's sullen. That's why." Then, she added, "I go by Alyss."_

_Finally, the last Ravenmon - closest to me on my right - said, "I'm Blue." I could see why, too. His feathers had a more blue-ish hue than the others._

_"I-I'm" For a second, I thought it was all over. My name wouldn't come back to my thoughts, "R-Ryoumi." Then, I had to ask, "Why are you trapped here?"_

_"Trapping a Ravenmon has power. Four of us captured can give the capturer the power to shed the soul's control from the body." Alyss explained, her head down, "By all accounts, we're the reason you're soul is trapped, but your body isn't."_

_As if responding to her words, a scrap of light floated up, but instead of moving on, it stayed. I didn't have to focus on it to see what was going on. And it wasn't my memory either. I didn't remember this happening. At first, I just saw a girl my age, a young boy, two short digimon in the girl's arms, and a taller digimon standing next to them. They were running extremely fast towards a castle. As if we were watching through someone's eyes, the vision shot to the castle, then quickly shot back to the running group._

_"We're here." The taller digimon said. The girl collapsed, breathing heavily, then the taller digimon says,"Perhaps we should rest before we go on?"_

_The girl shook her head, "We still have a good way to go, and I would perfer to be in that Castle before nightfall."_

_The boy nodded his head, "Yeah... Still, Ren, you look worn out."_

_Ren, the girl, shook her head, "Eh, I'll be fine."_

_"You say that now..." a dark voice said, though it sounded odd, like we were hearing it from... Oh, we were hearing this from this thing's point of veiw, "Just wait, Prophet."_

_Ren stiffened. She was the Prophet, or one of them, at least. She shook her head, and started walking towards the castle. The thing suddenly rushed forward at her, and slashed with its scythe. Ren fell, screaming in pain. Blood oozed from her left knee. I couldn't watch anymore, I pased out._

* * *

><p><span><strong>Kouichi<br>**I could only see darkness. I'd... I'd been here before, hadn't I? Back when... Back when I was corrupted. I felt awful for attacking them, but why was I here NOW? Was I... Corrupted again? A scrap of light floated up to me, and I peered in it.

At first, it was just my reflection. I looked tired, scathed, and dirty. How long had I been out? A week, a month? Who knew. As I stared, I saw the image change from me, to Duskmon, to a fight. Rain was pouring down, making day appear like night. Kazemon - Izumi - emerged from the code encasing her, and I rushed forwards, blood red swords at ready. _"Roseo Temporale!" _Kazemon's kicks were strong, and my swords flew out of my hands. I felt the pain, the breathlessness, even though... I was only watching this, right?

"You've gotten stronger, but you're wings are about to clipped, Butterfly!" I heard myself taunt, in the dark voice of Duskmon. "_Geist Aband!" _The orb of red energy flew at Kazemon, hitting her in the stomach. Surely she'd go down after a hit like that?

"IZUMI!" I hear Takuya's shout, and I turn to him, but before I can, "_Brezza Petalo!" _

I felt exactly where the wind landed. I wasn't just watching this fight... I was in it. "NO! STOP!" I tried to exclaim, just to beg Izumi to stop attacking. Their attacks had never been this painful before. She didn't hear, or didn't care, because when she landed, she began fighting again.

"_Tornado Gamba!"_ I felt myself fly backwards, but I picked myself up, and rushed strait at Kazemon.

"_Memory Disturbance!"_ I knew what this was supposed to do. Shift through her memories, make her remember how useless she was... But instead, I just felt dizzy, and dropped Kazemon, stepping backwards, trying not to fall. "My power doesn't work in the daytime..." I mutter.

"But mine does!" The realization dawned on Kazemon's face, and I knew then: she and the other Chosen Children were the enemy. "_Brezza Petalo!" _I was buffetted one last time, before the light touched me, and I ran. Light put me in more pain that wind.

My friends... No, they were the enemy.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Vritramon<br>**I lunged at Acayiamon, once again. Even using the Human's essence, I still wasn't powerful enough to defeat her. It was my purpose, kill that sea witch. The war could end, and we would still fight. No other purpose. I didn't care about the world. Just fighting.

**No, it doesn't have to be this way!**

Ah, the human would scream at me, beg me to stop attacking, stop draining his power. I'm sure he was in a lot of pain, but that pain gave me power. I could care less who I hurt.

Acyaiamon held her claws out, as if that would keep me from attacking."**Flame Storm!**" I flew at her, flames encasing the both of us. Doubled over, Acyaiamon was defenseless. I grabbed her by my tail, and began tightening my grip.

"_Viper's Gambit."_ I felt her nails rip into the skin of my tail, and I released, trying not to scream. She was just as powerful as I.

**"You two can be more powerful if you fought together."**

"Eh, who are you?" I growl.

**"I am a reflection. You two will be the true warriors."**

Acyaiamon looked around suspicously, "For what cause?"

**"Help me restart this world, help me rebuild it. Where strength rules, not justice."**

I smirked, "Sounds like my kind of world... But you don't need that sea witch, I'll be your warrior."

Acyaiamon rolled her eyes, "That disgusting salamander? Ha!"

**"Both of you, quit your meaningless squabling! If you want true power, work together, for my cause."**

I focused on the voice. It was a woman's voice, but it was sleepy, like she was still waking. Awake me, her voice was saying. I'd even work with the sea witch if it meant power. "All right, when do we start?"

**"Good, good... Soon. Now listen here."**

**Grumblemon  
><strong>I don't think I could ever summerize this situation, but one thing I learned when I was an agent above ground: Always think on your situation before taking action.

After getting trapped down here, I found that Mercuremon had captured two humans - Lori and Junpei were thier names. I studied the tunnels surrounding their prison, waiting for Oscureomon to leave. Once he _was _gone, I broke them out, and told them where to go.

A day later, around midday, I saw the fire child - Takuya - out cold. I knew, the Beast Spirit was draining him. I'd seen them do this with Digimon, but... A human was more complex data, more power that the beast spirit could take. So, I tried to help, patch the boy up, but then Kazemon - The girl's name... Izumi, that's it - thought I was the danger. After sorting out the mess, I let them leave... But why didn't I tell them that this could happen again?

Ranamon appearently saw the fight too. The water girl - Ren - had fought her with her human spirit, just to reach the beast spirit. Ranamon tried to warn her, but in the end, the girl won the fight. And now, the next night, the fight was happening once again.

"It stopped." Ranamon observed.

"That.. Can't be good." I remark, trying to listen for voices.

**"The Children's Darkness will give you more power than draining them ever would."**

"Why?" Vritramon questions, "We've gotten a lot of power from draining them, and they're close to dead anyhow."  
><span><br>**"Their darkness will last forever, but they won't. Draining their power can only last as long as they do."**

Acyaiamon then mumurmed, "Hm... Well then, half-dead children..."

I looked over at Ranamon, and both of our eyes were wide, "You don't think..."

"She's waking." I confirm.

"But... That's impossible. Even Lucemon couldn't wake Her..." Ranamon rationalized. "If She's waking Herself..."

"We're doomed, espically if she can corrupt Beast Spirits." I finish.

Ranamon took a deep breath, "All right, we need to move. We should get away from the Beast Spirits, and try to think of a plan." Determination shined in her voice, so I caved to her idea.

"Let's go."

**Mercuremon  
><strong>"Hm..." I muttered. "What're we to do about the traitor? We've trapped him in the caves, but that's caused more problems than solved."

Arbormon shook his head, "It's confusing. Eh, a solution will come when it wants to come."

"Well, we need a solution now." I growl.

"Riiigghtt." Arbormon put his hand on his chin, "Perhaps we should confernce with the Master?"

"No!" I instantly snap. "The master has too much to worry about. We'll think of something on our own."

Duskmon looked over at us, "You realize there's a simple solution, right?"

"Explain." I command.

"Kill them. Go to the Caves, kill the traitors, and if Cherubimon asks, say that they died a heroic death in battle. No one knows about the treachery but us three."

"Duskmon, thank you for reminding me just how genius you are."

**The Prophecy  
><strong>_The Digital World will be saved once by outsiders  
>It shall be in peril again by insiders.<em>

The Celestrial Prophets risk all to save a world not their own,  
>From the tragedy a traitor has sown<p>

Ten Elements shall seal the evil that is taking over.  
>But a Great Sacrafice must be made.<p>

The ten Warriors interlace their human and Digimon Souls,  
>For it is the only way to make the worlds whole.<p>

The Earth will rise, and reveal herself to one of her kind,  
>But a rejection is all she will find.<p>

_**A/N  
>Hey, three chapters in three days, eh! (Actually, it was half-way finished when I posted the last one, but whatever)<strong>_

_**Okay, none of this will make sense (And there's not coherent plot to this chapter...) BUT I REALLY NEEDED A BRIDGE BETWEEN CHAPTER 13 AND 15 (A Tail of Beasts, Part One and Two) Really, this was just to explain, give some background on how the world got in this mess, and show how **__**I think the kids behind the corrupted Digimon see things. Reviews, I like them. Chapter Fifteen... Should be up shortly.**_

_**It's still short...**_


	15. A Tail of Beasts Part Two

_A Tail of Beasts part.2_

Ren and Takuya were passed out adjacent to each other. Both already looked injured, but they were in for a battle. Not that they'd remember it. The D-Scanners set off a darkness, that engulfed them for a few seconds, when two voices taunted, "Come, Warriors." The darkness formed orbs, and they flew away, towards the voices.

"I must admit, using these children's darknesses to strengthen ourselves was genius." Vritramon told Acyaiamon, a smirk on his face.

**"It's time to reclaim this world."**

Acyaiamon asked, with a matching, taunting smirk glued to her lips, "Are you ready, Vritramon?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, Acyaiamon."

The ground above them crumbled, and the two beast spirits went on the loose. "You destroy the castle, I'll take the forest!" Acyaiamon told Vritramon, who nodded, and flew off to his destination, where the Chosen Children lay, sound asleep.

* * *

><p>Witchmon rushed into each squadron room, waking them up, trying to get all the warriors she could. "There's an attacker!" she exclaimed, glancing out the window again. The flaming beast was getting too close, too close to the castle. It moved slowly, but it was devouring the forest, burning down everything in sight.<p>

When she finally reached the Chosen Children's room, she only counted six children, plus Bokomon, Neemon, and Sorcermon. Kouji and Izumi were standing, waking all the other Chosen Children. "Takuya and Ren are missing." They explain.

Witchmon shook her head, "We have no time for that! There's an attacker coming, and you must hurry." Witchmon explained, glancing again out the window, "It's Vritramon."

Both Kouji and Izumi started moving faster, "What, How?"

Witchmon shook her head, "I don't know, maybe Takuya lost control of his beast spirit." She tried to rationalize, but still looked frazzeled. Nothing like this had happened before. The Beast Spirits ususally protected the Castle.

After every Chosen Child was awake, they all headed to the council room, where every warrior stood, at ready. KnightChessmon was breifing the soilders on what to do. "Keep Vritramon away from the castle," He said, "Use anything you can, just make sure he doesn't get to the castle. Redirect him to the Caves if you can." At that, all the warriors rushed out, into the inferno.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

All the Chosen Children looked around the chaos of the battle. All the attacks were focused on Vritramon. "I don't like doing this, guys." Lobomon informed, "But we have to fight Takuya. It's our only option." After a few nods and one sollumn choked cry, everyone got into position.

"_Earth Shattering Spear!_"

"_Lightning Bomber!"_

_"Kachikachi Kocchin!"_

_"Licht Kugel!"_

_"Posinous Rose!"_

_"Brezza Petalo!"_

The light hit Vritramon first - per the 'Speed of Light' - but it bounced right off. The ice stuck to his legs, imbolizing him, only for it to melt right off after a few seconds. The posinous petals sliced through the air, and were disolved in the flames. The wind only fanned the fire more. The lightning struck, and crackled, but had no effect. Vritramon swatted the spear away like it were a toothpick.

"This is hopeless..." Terramon muttered.

"Nothing's hopeless!" Ivymon exclaimed, "We just have to give it our all."

All of the digimon around them nodded their heads, "We'll attack on your ready."

"Right, all togther!" Lobomon replied.

"_Lightning Bomber!"_

_"Kachikachi Kocchin!"_

_"Licht Kugel!"_

_"Posinous Rose!"_

_"Brezza Petalo!"_

_"Grotto Mandala!"_

_"Sorcer's Charge!"_

The attacks hit Vritramon rapidly, and he fell. There was too much, too much going on at once. All the attackers were focused on him, but there was one advantage he had. An ally. He roared, and the sound carried.

* * *

><p>The Digimon of Adventure Villaged watched hoplessly as Acyaiamon rushed at them, taking all the trees in her path. It would be seconds before she took the fractal, found it. Suddenly, a screeching roar vibrated across the forest, and Acyaiamon saw the flames begin to die. "Looks like that disgusting salamander needs my help after all." She looks at the villagers with blank, apathetic red eyes, as she gives them one last warning, "I will return. Be prepared, little ones."<p>

At that, she sped away to the castle. It only took seconds for her to reach the battle, traveling as fast as a tsunami on her long legs. Her scaly tail beat across the ground, as if to say, "Look over here!"

All the Warriors turned. "You don't think that's..." Blitzmon questioned, leaving his sentence alone when he saw the waves crashing towards them.

"_Siren's Waves!"_

The water raged over them, washing all the fire and debris away, into the river. As the digimon closer to Acyaiamon rushed towards her, weapons drawn, the Beast Warrior struck out with her claws, "_Viper's Gambit!"_ The digimon disolved, completely.

"She's strong." Kumamon remarks, "we may not be able to beat them both!"

As if responding to Kumamon's prediction, Vritramon roared again, sky rocketing upwards in a cloud of flame. The Flame Warrior looked around, and identified his target. Six Human Warriors, all standing together. Easy prey. _"Corona Blaster!"_ The bullets scattered the six, making them loose themselves in the crowd of fighters. A few digimon who were caught in his fire dissolved, and everyone felt the pain of the loss.

Vritramon charged forward, grabbing the first Human Warrior he could attack. He constricted his tail around Kazemon. The Warrior screamed in pain, the crystaline wings on her back crushing inwards. With the visor slipping off, the pale blue of Kazemon's fear-filled eyes began to show. He tightened his grip, and Kazemon went limp. He threw her down, and the Fractal Code - the Digi-Code - began to show.

"Ahhgg... Owww..." Kazemon muttered.

This was the final straw for the Warriors. The Chosen Children were their last hope, their last means of saving the chipped world. They charged at Vritramon, forgetting their worries of death. It was take this creature down, or it would take _them _down.

Acyaiamon stood in front of her ally, swatting away the Warrior's blows like they weren't a problem. Another Digimon fell, feeling the poison of her claws. "I must say, these Warriors are brave." Acyaiamon clicked her tounge, "Too bad they have to die. All creatures must die."

Vritramon turned, "Ah, now where is the Fractal Code?" he scanned the feild, but found nothing of interest. Until he set his sights on Witchmon, Wizardmon, and Sorcermon.

"Of course!" Acyaiamon exclaimed, and sped across the courtyard. A Golemon charged at her. They weren't meant for battle, the Golemon, but no one attacked their castle.

"_Curse Crimson!_"

Acyaimon turned to Golemon, and tilted her head, unnaffected by the posinous gas billowing at her. "Is that an attack?" she turned, and gave Vritramon a look, "Take care of them."

"**FLAME STORM!" **This time, the Beast Spirit was unstopable. The fire began to engulf all the Warriors on the feild, some disolving without ever showing Fractal Code, others falling over, their code completely revealed.

Acyaiamon turned to the three Magic digimon, and readied herself for battle, "You three hold the code." she growled.

Sorcermon's eyes got wide, "It will take more than you two to defeat Ophanimon."

Acyaiamon snorted, "Ha!" Vritramon emerged from his flames, right behind his malicious ally.

"So, these three hold the key to the castle?" he questions.

Suddenly, the five Human Warriors ran in front of Witchmon, Wizardmon, and Sorcermon. "You won't get any closer to the castle." Blitzmon growled.

"We won't let you!" Lobomon growled. He kept glancing at the Beast Spirit's eyes, trying to find a trace of his friends in there, but there was only red. Only darkness.

"I enjoy a challenge." Vritramon smirked, raising his _Rudri Tarpana _on his arms, "_Corona Blaster!"_

At such a close range, the Chosen Children were at the mercy of Vritramon's fury. The Warriors either doubled over or collapsed on the ground, drained of color, looking at the two unstopable Digimon, with pleading eyes. "Takuya, Ren, Stop!" Kumamon begged.

"You see, Humans, those two are gone." Acyaiamon smiled threatningly, "Death was always going to be their end."

Terramon looked up, "That's... Not possible."

Vritramon looked down at the Earth Warrior, "Very possible. Very possible."

Witchmon reached down towards the children, and shut her crystal blue eyes. All six Chosen Children pixelized, and disappeared. "You won't defeat the Chosen Children!" _They're the world's last hope!_

Wizardmon raised his staff. "And you can not take Awakening Castle! We will defend it to our last breaths!"

Socermon nodded his head, "Try, and you will perish!"

_"Oceanic Force!"_

"Corona Blaster!"

* * *

><p>Izumi gasped, and tried to remember the last few seconds before she passed out. Pain, blank red eyes, no breath, screaming, fighting, and then scilence. Was she dead? Taking in a breath, Izumi felt a sharp pain in her ribs. Not dead, then.<p>

"Guys," Izumi's raspy voice called, "Everyone okay?"

"In a lot of pain..." Kouji replies, moaning and groaning in pain.

Lori nodded her head, "What happened?"

"Vritramon and... Whatever Ren's Beast Spirit was attacked Awakening Castle." Junpei remembered, shuddering, "I can't believe that they found their Beast Spirits, AND both lost complete control."

"More like something was controling them." Tomoki replied. Everyone turned - as much as their limited movements allowed - towards him, and he continued. "What Ren's Beast Spirit said. She said... That they were gone."

"You don't think the Beast Spirits took form without them, do you?" Liri asked, "I thought Spirits, Human or Beast, could only take form with a weilder?"

Izumi shrugged, "They've taken form without us before, but that with the data of the Celestrial Angels helping them... Oh no."

Lori's eyes got big as she tried to sit up, resting against the rock wall, "Oh no? What's the matter?"

"I think Cherubimon was controling them..." Kouji finished the thought, "Explains all the things they were saying. 'All creatures must die.' 'I enjoy a challenge' Sounds like the things Cherubimon would program them to say."

Everyone shuddered, "We can't... We won't be able to win. They took on hundreds of Warriors, and didn't blink." Lori sighed, "We'll have to run."

Junpei shook his head, "Something MUST be giving them extra power. Beast Spirits only can be so powerful."

Liri stood up, and peered out the cave's mouth. "I can see Awakening Castle from here... It's burning." she sighed, and her eyes lost their happy spring, "It's over."

* * *

><p>Ren and Takuya stood that morning, trying to recall what had happened. They awoke in ashes, pain filling their thoughts for a few moments. "Where... What?" Takuya muttered, looking around. He saw ashes, he saw a structure with no walls, he saw water damage, and he saw injured Digimon everywhere. "What... Did I?"<p>

"No, Takuya, I think we attacked them." Ren asnwered, her voice stone cold.

Takuya turned to Ren, shock in his eyes, "How can you be so calm! We just killed so many of our allies!"

"Takuya, if I don't stay calm, I'm going to start crying, or I'll start freaking out, or something awful. If we both don't stay calm, we'll never figure this out."

Takuya looked over at her, and the tears were already there, welling up in both of their tired, exaughsted eyes. "I think you might be right. We have to figure out what happened, and how we can stop it." Takuya then looked both himself over, and Ren, "We're both injured... We may not be strong enough anymore."

"You're right. I feel like I'm drained, only half of what I used to be." Ren explained, "I feel half-dead."

Takuya nodded his head, "Half-dead sums it up pretty well." Takuya then looks around, and a few tears slipped, "All this wreckage... I think it was Awakening Castle."

Someone's old, wise, tired voice replied, "It was, you traitors." The two Chosen Children turned, and saw a sight that almost broke them into peices. Bokomon, eyes showing anger, clenched his jaw at seeing the two children, "You attacked us! You destroyed Awakening Castle! You killed hundreds!"

Takuya shook his head, "No... We... I-"

"Shut up, Takuya!" Bokomon exclaimed. "Shut up! You've betrayed us, betrayed Ophanimon!"

Ren gulped back her fear, and tried to keep the apathetic edge on her face, but it wasn't working too well, "Bokomon, we didn't mean... I don't think we had control."

Bokomon shook his head, "Just leave, and let us pick up the peices of this mess you two have made!"

* * *

><p>After walking for hours, Takuya and Ren collapsed in the woods. "This... Can't be good, can it?"<p>

Takuya moaned out, "No. The Beast Spirits have more control of us than we do them."

Ren tried to stand, but just fell back down. "I'm... I'm done. I can't stand this."

"We can't give up hope. Not yet." Takuya replied, but it wasn't his voice. It was a darker, more adult, wiser voice.

"So, when can we give up hope? Before or after we reach breaking point?"

"Never."

* * *

><p>It took only a few hours for the Chosen Children to have their full movement back, but they were pained, slowed movements. "If the Beast Spirits attack again, we won't be able to fight back." Kouji says to all of them.<p>

"We'll have to." Izumi argues, "We'll have to save them."

"If there's anything of those two left to save." Junpei reminded, "They might be dead!"

"So you think the Beast Spirits took their data, and used it to create their forms?" Lori theroized, "I mean, that's the only possible idea."

"Remember how they both looked exaughsted the day Izumi and Takuya returned?" Tomoki reminded

"They were injured, pale, and tired." Liri suddenly added, "Do you think the Beast Spirits took their data over time?"

"Then... Our Beast Spirits could do the same thing to us!" Lori exclaims.

"We're doomed." Junpei moaned.

"No!" Kouji growled, "We can always win if we try hard enough!"

"That sounds like something Takuya would say." Izumi pointed out.

Everyone looked down, and shut their eyes. It was midday, and all the Chosen Children were exaughsted. Nothing made sense anymore. Their leaders attacked them, the safest place in the Digital World was gone, and the emotional stress was building on them all. Liri began crying, and Tomoki followed. Soon, all six children were grouped together, arms linked, and them all close to their breaking point.

Izumi wiped the tears from her eyes. "All right, we have to get ourselves together. We can't be breaking down."

Kouji nodded, "We're Warriors now. We have to start believing in ourselves."

Lori shook her head, "We're still human, though."

"Maybe. But we're Digimon too." Tomoki answered.

Liri looked out the cave's mouth again, "So... When will they go on the rampage again?"

"Night. That's when they attacked the first time, that's when they'll attack today." Junpei guessed.

"But where?"

Everyone's eyes drifted to Adventure Village. "There."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Takuya?" Ren asks, finally standing, looking at the boy with tired eyes.<p>

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember the fight last night?"

"No... Do you?"

"Uh uh," Ren shook her head, "Meaning... What if it wasn't us?"

Takuya sat up, "Whatda mean?"

"I think... I don't think we were attacking. I remember waking up underground... At some point."

Takuya nodded, "So... Maybe the Beast Spirits... took our data, and used it to take form..."

"Only we could fight them and win." Ren replies, "Who do you know more than yourself? No one, hopefully."

Takuya nodded, "We have to evolve when night starts to fall. Maybe we'll be able to get those Beast Spirits under control."

"And..." Ren put her head down, "What if I'm wrong?"

"It's a risk we'll have to take." Takuya stood, and smiled with determination, "We need to protect the others. They're our friends, and we can't let them get hurt." Takuya then looked away.

"Takuya, what're you thinking?"

"Back on my first adventure, Duskmon... He attacked us, and I thought I had an invincible plan. Instead... Instead, the others got hurt. I swore to myself that I wouldn't let it happen again." Takuya sighed, "But... Now..."

Ren nodded, "I think I know what you mean." She grabbed at her left arm, and began rubbing up and down.

"Hey, you know what? It'll be all right. We work hard enough, and it'll work out." Takuya smiled, his signature, mischevious grin.

"Keep saying that, and I might believe you."

Takuya pointed towards Adventure Village, "That's where the Beast Spirits headed. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Biyomon stared at the wreckage of Awakening Castle, and almost began crying. Even from far away, it was obvious that it was irreversable damage at the Castle. "We're next, guys." Agumon exclaimed.<p>

The watched as six kids headed down the mountainside. "Maybe they'll protect us." Tentomon guessed.

Gabumon pointed to the two that were headed towards Adventure Village."There were two attackers, and those two are closer. The six will never make it in time."

Gomamon shook his head, "Well, we're doomed."

Emerging from the trees, two battered kids entered the village, just as the sun began to set. All the digimon got in attacking postion. "You won't take our village!" Gatomon growled.

"No!" Takuya exclaimed, "We're not going to! We're trying to stop the Beast Spirits here."

"So you say." Patamon frowned.

"Look, we didn't want to see Awakening Castle destroyed, and we don't want this village to be destroyed either." Ren explained, "Just trust us, please."

Gatomon stepped forward, "Fine."

"Spirit Evolution!"

Agnimon and Aguamon sat, at the edge of the village, waiting to hear an attack. They didn't look quite right, eyes tired, skin cut or bruised, muddy or bloody hair. They took deep breaths, trying to calm their anxiety.

The sun sunk below the horison, and hell broke loose.

"**Flame Storm!"**

The fire was raging up the hill side, devouring everything. Aguamon looked over at Agnimon, and they nodded their heads. "_Lluvia Tormenta!"_ The rain flew its way down the hillside, towards Vritramon, calming the flames that scorched the ground.

"So, it's water you want, Warrior?" Acyaiamon taunted. "_Siren's Waves!" _

This time, the water raged, and destroyed the remaining trees. The fractal disappeared into Acyaiamon's hands. She zipped up the hill, and started slashing her claws at the diminutive Aguamon.

Agnimon looked over at Vritramon, who was making his way back up the hill that the rain had pulled him down from. "_Fire Darts!" _Nothing too big, or he'll burn down the forest. Vritramon didn't seemed fazed, and he reached the top.

"Acyaiamon, perhaps we should show them... Teamwork."

Acyaiamon quit attacking Aguamon, to look over at her ally, "Now, you're thinking."

Aguamon and Agnimon gave each other worried looks. "Uh oh..." they muttered, trying to hold themselves in a defensive postion. The digimon of the village had scrambled, towards the trees behind them. Down the hill, the remaining warriors of Awakening Castle were trying to regather themselves, about to charge the Beast Spirits. The six warriors were almost at the village, but they weren't close enough to save their friends.

No help was open to the warriors trying to save this village.

"_**Raging Opposites!**_"

It was an amazing, and devastating, attack. The flames struck first, throwing the Warriors back onto the ground, the sheer power too much to bear. Then, came the flood. It rushed around them, and buried them, in debris, in water, and in hate.

"_I-Izumi..."_ Agnimon muttered. "_Have to protect... Them."_

Suddenly, Agnimon stood, and grabed his friend, Aguamon, from the drenching mess. "All right, if we fight, we fight together." he says, looking her in the eyes. Both nodded, and turned to the attacking Beasts.

"_**Salamander Tormenta!**_" Fire and water, the natural opposites, combined strength. It seemed, that maybe, if the two did fight togther, they could win. The Beasts fell, but only for a few seconds.

**"You'll need more than that to take my warriors down."** A sleepy woman's voice cooed, its exaughsten curling around the two Warriors.

Finally, the calvary arrived. Six warriors rushed in from behind, and attacked the beasts, all the elements, combined. The anger, the rage at the Beast Spirits for almost destroying their friends took over.

"_Lightning Bomber!"_

_"Kachikachi Kocchin!"_

_"Licht Kugel!"_

_"Posinous Rose!"_

_"Brezza Petalo!"_

_"Grotto Mandala!"  
><em>  
><em>"Burning Salamander!"<em>

_"Borde del Agua!"_

At that, the full team work took out the Beast Spirits. They fell backwards, the fractals of these corrupted digimon showing. It was an odd color, like something was off, but the two Chosen Children nodded their heads at each other.

"You corrupted Beasts, you'll understand what justice is! Digi-Code... SCAN!"

* * *

><p>Ren and Takuya landed with a thud, and looked around, "We did it?" Takuya asks the first person he sees looming over him.<p>

"Ya sure did!" Izumi smiled, sitting down next to him.

"I really need to stop letting you save me..." Takuya joked.

Fianlly, all eight children were sitting in the valley in between the ruined village and the ruined Castle. All D-Scanners pulsed a steady light, and a steady beeping noise permitted their ears. "Do we...?" Liri asks.

Ren and Takuya looked at each other, and nod their heads, simultaniouly. So, in synch with both nature and each other, they pressed the button. "Digi-Code, Realized."

The eight watched the land come back. The castle, rebuild. Digi-Eggs filled the feild, all around the children, as scathing reminders of what had happened. The Village, at one point broken, began healing. All seven residents rushed from the trees, exclaiming in happiness. Witchmon watched with wide, crystal blue eyes.

Witchmon shut her eyes, and pixelized for a second. She appeared in front of the Chosen Children, "Thank you." she says, and then the children notice something in her arms. Two eggs, a black and dark blue one, and a white and light blue egg, sat in her arms. "Yes, sadly, my brothers, Wizardmon and Sorcermon, were destroyed in the first attack."

"All these warriors... Destroyed... Why?" Izumi asks.

"An old evil, who can corrupt the Spirits even in their dormant forms." Witchmon explained, holding her head low, refusing to let her fingers slip loose of the eggs. "If She's the driving force behind this... You children are in for a fight."

"How... How did the Spirits take form, without Ren and Takuya weilding them?" Kouji questions, staring at the marks left on both exaughsted warriors.

Witchmon shut her eyes, stumbled, and then regained her balance, "The Beast Spirits used their esences to drain them of their power. See, power here is like bandwith. The draining of their power is like something limiting bandwith to reduce it, only they asorb it, not reduce it. Does that make any sense?"

"A... little." Tomoki replied.

Witchmon sat down next to the children, and sighed, "I wish it hadn't ended this way."

Lori nodded her head, "I wish this mess hadn't started."

Everyone nodded their head, "We can't change the past, but we have to keep moving. It could have gone much worse." Ren said. "It won't help us to dwell on things we could've done better, we just... I dunno, have to learn from our mistakes."

Takuya nodded his head, "So, where do we go?"

Witchmon sighed, "We have a secondary base, closer to Dark Conitnent, that you children can head to. Mermaimon should be there, and she should be able to help you figure out your next move."

"It sounds like we need to get our Beast Spirits before this 'ancient evil' does." Junpei suggested, "So something like this doesn't happen again."

Liri, holding onto her sister, smiled and curled up. Sleep seemed to be a priority in the younger Chosen Children. Witchmon smiled, and handed the Digi-Eggs in her arms to Ren and Takuya.

"Huh?"

Witchmon smiled, "I can't take care of two eggs while defending the world. You have Bokomon and Neemon to help you, but all my Warriors are just that. Warriors."

* * *

><p>It was the next morning when Bokomon and Neemon found the sleeping group. "Can... you wake up?" Bokomon asked, in a quiet voice, standing over the two Warriors that he'd berated the day before.<p>

"Hmm?" Takuya mutters, "Wha-?" His eyes opened wide, and he gave an aggrivated look, "Really? I mean, we just... Come on, let us sleep."

Bokomon frowned, "I just wanted to apologize... After seeing the fight..." He then looked them over, and realized that (A) They were all asleep and (B) both Ren and Takuya held Digi-Eggs in their arms. "Oh... Sleep, you silly humans."

Neemon looked over at Bokomon, "So, what'da think we're doing next."

"The Beast Spirits must be contained, and we must be there to document what happens." Bokomon explains, determination all there in his excited voice.

Neemon tilted his head, "But... What if Lori, Liri, and Ren can't controll thier Beast Spirits. They've never done it before. Won't they loose controll?"

"For once, you have a point." Bokomon responded, "We'll have to keep an eye on our new adventurers."

Neemon shrugged, and curled up next to Izumi, "How about we sleep first?"

Bokomon nodded his head, and lay down on the soft ground under him. Life took its toll, and all in the feild slept, exaughsted and ready to let worries melt away.

_**A/N Posting two chapters at the same time... EH, it'll work. Now, I know "Part One" and "History" Were kinda short... But this was about fourteen pages (Longest. Chapter. Ever.)**_

_**Next On: As Kouji begins to realize that he's being watched, the Beast Spirit of Light begins calling to him. Can he fight the call, or will a repeat of Awakening Castle happen? Find out, on the next AS THE WORLD ENDS!**_

_**Kouji: It never goes the way she plans, just to warn you.**_  
><em><strong>Me: You know, I could kill you off.<strong>_  
><em><strong>Kouji: Wouldn't that-<strong>_  
><em><strong>Me: DON'T SPOIL THE PLOT! Pfft, Characters...<strong>_


	16. The Reymon Reveal

After what felt like the longest night in the feild between Awakening Castle and Adventure Village, the Chosen Children began waking. Kouji woke up first. It was still partially dark, the sun still hovering a bit above the horizon. He looked around, and noticed something in the trees stir. Standing, Kouji walked to the edge os the forest. "Is anyone there?" he calls.

The trees stir again, Kouji hears the sound of someone running away through the forest - shuffling leaves, breaking branches. "Someone was watching us..." Kouji muttered, and then set off running, "You're not getting away from me."

The forest was truly dark. Kouji could see maybe three feet in front of him in any direction. Something in front of him moved in a shadow-y mess of colors, and moved even faster, away from him. "Who?" Kouji murmured, and followed the noise the person was making.

**Come, Warrior of Light.**

Kouji was taken aback. This was exactly what Takuya and Ren had described - their Beast Spirit's voice in their head, telling them to come. _I should head back to the others. _Kouji thought, _Following my Beast Spirit won't end well. _

However, Kouji kept walking forwards. _Why aren't I going back? _he wonders. _Won't they worry if I'm not there?_

**Of course they won't. You're nothing to them but another Warrior.**

"That's not true..." Kouji mutters, but keeps on walking, "I'll show you."

* * *

><p>Lori was the second Chosen Child to wake up. The sunlight struck her face, and she bolted upwards. Looking around, she didn't see anything out of the oridinary. Liri was asleep against her arm, all the others were still out cold. <em>One, two, three... <em>

"Get up! We're missing someone!" Lori exclaims, after counting six other heads.

"Huh? Wha-?" Junpei questioned.

"Where's Kouji?" Liri asks, inquisitive pale purple eyes darting around the feild.

Takuya sat up, "Aww, man, don't tell me!"

Izumi sighed, "He must be going after his Beast Spirit." she stood, "Well, we better go find him."

Tomoki frowned, "If Kouji looses control of his Beast Spirit like he did two years ago..."

"It won't be as bad as Awakening Castle, but still..." Junpei muttered.

"Okay, wait," Lori asks, "You can loose control of your Beast Spirit, or it can take form on its own, how many MORE possiblites of horror are there?"

Junpei shrugged, "No, that's about it."

Takuya smiled wide, "Well, let's go~" He stood, and suddenly all seven Chosen Children were heading towards the woods, towards an unknown destination, with a quick pace and a determined stride.

* * *

><p>"Kouji!" Liri cried out, "Where are you!"<p>

"This is going nowhere fast." Junpei observed, and then looked around, and saw that the path forked in three directions, "Oh. Great!"

Izumi nodded her head, "Maybe we should split up? We'd cover more ground that way."

"Yeah, we would." Lori remarks, "Anybody object." All eyes drifted around, trying to find anyone who had anything to say.

"Isn't splitting up a bad idea, considering how dark it is in these woods?" Tomoki pointed out.

"As long as we are in pairs, I think we'll be fine." Liri replies, "We all have Spirits." Ren and Takuya look at the eggs in their arms, and everyone looks away, "Oh. Right."

"Spliting up just might work." Takuya then said, something like worry peaking in the back of his voice. "Like Liri said, if we're in pairs, we won't have to worry as much about an attack."

Everyone nodded, though most didn't seem convinced. Everyone seemed to have lost a little faith in both their leaders - even the two themselves. If they Spirit Evolve and loose control, who was going to save the rest of the Chosen Children? That was the thought crossing everyone's minds.

"All right, who goes where?" Ren finally broke the scilence in her traditional apathetic way, glancing at the three paths. "There are seven of us, so there's going to have to be a group of three."

Junpei instantly put his arm around Izumi, "I'll go with Izumi!" Junpei had a wide smile on his face, eager and bright.

Izumi pushed his arm off her shoulder, "In your dreams." she remarks.

Lori rolled her eyes, "My little sister goes with me. End of story."

Ren nodded her head, "Probably a good idea, Lori-san."

After some deliberation, the sister-sister pair head off on the farthest left path. "That leaves us five." Izumi remarked.

Junpei smiled, "All right, boys," he put his arms around Takuya and Tomoki, "Let's go!" he turned towards the middle path, and brought his two friends with him.

* * *

><p>Izumi shrugged, "Well, looks like we're stuck together."<p>

Lori and Liri were walking down the path, looking around. It was just like when they first entered the Digital World. Just walking, not sure exactly what to expect. The forest here was darker, but the sunlight was still there. They knew that they should regroup before dark, even without Kouji.

* * *

><p><em>On the day that the sisters arrived in the Digital World, Lori Inichi woke up crying. "You were dreaming about Mom again..." she told herself, rubbing the locket around her neck. Opening the locket, Lori saw a skinny, smiling, beautiful coco skinned woman, with a lion cub and her child - a red haired child with extremely pale skin, and the same bony structure. Nylla Inichi, Lori Inichi, and one of Nylla's paitents. The lion cub was licking Lori, which made the now grown girl smile.<em>

_The girl's phone rang, once again. Lori grabbed her phone, and answered. "Inichi, Lorilei." a mysterious woman's voice asked, as if she were confirming identification, "Are you ready to fufill your destiny?"_

_"My... Destiny?" Lori asked, hopefully._

_Instructions appeared on the screen, and Lori began running. Liri was running after her sister, "Did you get that weird message!?" she asks._

_"It says... Go outside." Lori shook her head, "Not to hard. Let's check it out."_

_The sky seemed to be alight with colors. A red, blue, yellow, and then a lilac ribbon dissapeared. A bright white ribbon, gone. An ice green Ribbon. A bright, hot pink ribbon came downwards, going straight for Liri. Lori, as over protective as she was, was captivated by a deep green Ribbon, and then the world disappeared._

* * *

><p>Lori snapped back into reality, and sighed. She rubbed the locket again, and frowned, "Liri, do you have a bad feeling about this place?" she asks her sister, eyes darting around the path. The air was warm, but Lori shivered. <em>Come, Earth Warrior. <em>

Liri shook her head, "No, not really." she took her sister's hand, "Come on, we have to go find Kouji."

"What makes you think we'll find him?"

Liri pointed at the broken twigs in front of them, where they hadn't stepped, "Someone was in a rush, so they left this perfect little trail."

Lori smiled. She sometimes forgot how smart and adaptable her little step-sister was. "All right then, let's go." Lori and Liri began walking, but as they continued walking, something behind them moved, and took in a sharp breath. Lori turned, but she was inable to tell what it was, because Liri dragged her along by her hand, totally ignorant of whatever was following them.

* * *

><p>Kouji sighed. He still had no idea where he was going, totally out in the open. There was a cave system in front of him, and he debated entering. <strong>Come Warrior.<strong>

_Shut up._

Just as he walked to the edge of the cave, Kouji heard something rumble. An earthquake! He fell to his knees, and then some_thing _with blue eyes and gray fur charged at him. He rolled out of the way, but still ended up with a few scrapes and bruises. "A human..." the digimon muttered in a vaguely female voice.

Kouji grabbed his D-Scanner. "Who are you?" he tries to growl.

"Me? The Beast Warrior of Earth."

His eyes widened. Lori's Beast Spirit was attacking him!? Rolling his eyes, and deciding that he needed to fight this thing, he screamed out, "SPIRIT EVOLUTION!" Lobomon landed, and instantly knew: He was in for the fight of his life.

* * *

><p>Takuya and Tomoki looked at each other as Junpei dragged them along. Junpei was being rather casual, trying to make the two laugh. Considering what had just happened, the boy's behavior seemed kind of forced, like he was still reeling. Knowing Junpei, and his mannor, he probably was.<p>

"Uh, Junpei-san, where are you dragging us to?" Takuya asks, gripping the egg in his arms. He was grinding his teeth.

"One-chan, are you worried about that egg?" Tomoki asks, looking at the dark blue, code covered Digitama.

Junpei smiled, and rolled his eyes, "Relax man, the sun's still up."

"Digimon can still attack, Junpei-san! They can attack at anytime, and we're sitting here, talking, laughing, when we should be looking for our friend!" Takuya eclaimed, then stomping away. He still remembered looking his own Beast Spirit in the eyes, watching as it tried to kill him. A hollowed out Beast Spirit was one thing, but what if he had to fight an out of control friend, one that was still in there?

Junpei sighed, "What's wrong with you, Takuya-san? You're ususally the one making these jokes, not me."

Takuya didn't answer, as he stomped away, arms locked around the egg he'd been given. The Beast Spirit's draining had left him sullen, tired, easily angered. It worried Takuya that this could happen easily.

Tomoki frowned, and frowned at Takuya, "Takuya, we need you." he tells him, "We need you to start acting like a leader." he tells him.

Junpei sighed, "The kid's right, you know."

Takuya turned back to look at them, and gulped, "We have to find Kouji, before the Beast Spirit takes control of him." he replies, and tries to stand taller, finally walking off.

"Takuya's definately lost confindence in himself, doncha think?" Junpei asked Tomoki, as the two set off after the Flame Warrior.

Tomoki nodded his head, "It's scary..."

* * *

><p>On the final path, there was no talking. It was eerily quiet, as both warriors looked around. "I don't think Kouji's been through here." Ren told Izumi, in a monotone-ish voice.<p>

Izumi wrinkled up her eyebrows, "What makes you think that?" she asks, looking around, trying to see what the warrior in front of her meant.

Ren stooped down, and picked up a completely whole twig, "This."

"So?"

Ren rolled her eyes, and gestured to the forest floor as a whole, "Look. None of the twigs in front of us are broken, meaning that someone didn't go running through here. Unless Kouji was creeping along, not making a noise, he's not been here."

Izumi pursed her lips, "You're right there. So, what do we do?" she asks.

Ren shrugs, "I dunno. I could be wrong. It's possible to miss the twigs."

"So you're saying that we should keep going, even though we're pretty sure Kouji didn't come through?" Izumi asks, trying to trip Ren up.

"Yeah, that is what I'm saying. If I'm wrong, and Kouji did go through this way, we might end up being responsible for someone getting hurt." Ren tells Izumi, a determination in her voice.

"All right, leader girl, let's go." Izumi says, and begins walking forwards, back on their original course. Ren wrinkled her eyebrows, and stared for a second before realizing that she had to start walking.

* * *

><p>It was getting close to dark, and Lori and Liri still found... Nothing. The world was quiet, the birds chirped, the digimon whispered, the general Digital World being still. Lori looked at the twigs on the ground again, and saw that they were still broken. "Kouji's still WAY in front of us..." Liri noticed, and frowned.<p>

Lori sighed, and looked at the sky, "And it's almost dark too, meaning we should go back..." Lori pursed her lips.

"I DON'T CARE, WE NEED TO KILL THOSE CHILDREN!"

Lori and Liri both turned, and tried to find the source of the voice. "YOU STUBBORN IDIOT, WE CAN'T JUST RUSH IN AND THINK THAT THEY WON'T FIGHT BACK!" Another screamed, and then throwing something.

Lori put her hand behind her as she began to walk towards the noise, quiet as a mouse, and peeked through the trees. Two digimon, looking like two men in ancient Roman or Greek armour, with shaggy brownish hair, and tannish skin stood in a VERY nearby clearing. One wore a goat skin cloak, while the other wore a lion pelt, one in purple armour, one in orange. The one in orange armour seemed to be older - had more wrinkles in his eyes - while the one in the purple armour was younger-ish.

Lori stepped back. _This is crazy_, she thought to herself. _We should get out of here, before they realize we're here._ She turned, and put her finger to her lip, and Liri got it. For a few moments they thought they were okay, the two digimon didn't rush at them. They were able to get about a few yards away, when they heard a young voice scream:

"THE CHOSEN CHILDREN ARE RIGHT OVER THERE!"

The two digimon emerged from the woods, and smirked as they saw the two trying to get away. "It seems that our target has come to us."

* * *

><p>"The path curves here." Izumi tells Ren.<p>

"Aaannndd?"

"These paths could all intertwine." Izumi points out.

"Well, then I guess we better start moving." Ren looks up, suddenly gripping Sorcermon's egg a whole lot tighter, "It's almost night time, and we'll need to find the others before then."

Izumi starts walking quickly, but stops in her tracks when she hears a very loud, high-pitched scream rip through the woods. The girls lock eyes within seconds, and they start running. It took a few minutes for them to see another three people, the boys.

"Hey, ladies." Junpei nods his head at them, and then looks at Ren and Takuya, "You two need to stay back, since you have those eggs with you." he tells them.

"We're the only ones with Beast Spirits, though!" Takuya reminds him.

"That you don't know how to control." Junpei added.

Takuya clenched his teeth, "I'm not going to stay back here while you three fight!" he screams, his grip on the egg tight.

"No. You two should stay back." Tomoki says, "Those eggs are important, and there's no way you two are going to just randomly put them down."

Izumi sighed, "Tomoki's right, and we can't sit around here much longer. You two are staying here, that's the end of it." she snaps, and begins running again, towards the direction that the scream had came from. Junpei and Tomoki followed, leaving a duo of bewildered warriors.

* * *

><p>Kouji sat down, and rubbed the blood off his face. The cavern he was in was dark, and he tried to curl against the wall. "What happened?" he muttered, "I remember the fight... but, why did I end up in here?" he pulled his knees to chest, and tries to stop the pain in his ribs.<p>

"_You've gotten stronger, Warrior of Light._" The Warrior chuckled, and then unsheathed her claws again. "We must fight, to the death."

Kouji rushes upwards, but falls back down. "Please, Don't kill me!" he screams, his hands up reaching, trying to block the death blow.

The Beast Warrior stepped forwards, and smirked at Kouji, "Perhaps your death can bring about peace." she muttered.

"Wait, you're talking about stopping the Digital War, aren't you? That means we're on the same side!" Kouji exclaims, but starts coughing.

"WE DON'T NEED YOU, HUMAN!" she exclaims, bares her fangs, and moves in closer. "The Prophecy says that restoring peace requires a scarafice. You shall be the scrafice."

Kouji moans, and tries to look up, "Please... I have... Have to save the others..."

"Others? More humans like you?" the Beast Warrior's voice peeked in happiness, "A larger sacrafice... Could mean the war's end." Kouji mentally slapped himself. Why did he go and mention the others? The Digimon looked down at him, and gave a bone-chilling look, "I'll see you later, Light Warrior."

* * *

><p>Liri screamed.<p>

"LET GO OF HER!" Lori demanded, rushing in with D-Scanner drawn. The older digimon turned, and raised the sword he held. It was a Greek style sword, no doubt on that, made of pure bronze.

"Eh? The human is brave, I'll give her that." It took two seconds for the Digimon to grab her, and hold her off the ground, "Bravery will not be welcome in the new world."

"LORI!" Liri shreiked, and ripped her arm free of the younger digimon's grasp, and grabbed the pink and brown device. She felt the calm settle over her, "SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Ivymon looked at her two opponents. They were much taller than her, by at least ten feet - making them what, fourteen, maybe even fifteen feet tall? - and both held weapons. The younger one had a javelion, and Ivymon didn't like the looks of it. Big, golden, bright, and deadly. "Put my sister down." she commanded.

"You dare command us, young human?" the younger one growled, and almost began to fight, when something slammed him to the ground.

"Yeah, she did." Blitzmon nodded his head at Ivymon.

Kazemon flew into action. It took only a few seconds for her to grab Lori, albeit by throwing the Digimon that was holding her and making a dive. "Thanks, Izumi." Lori breathed, and grabbed her D-Scanner.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

With five Warriors in front of them, the digimon looked sorely out-numbered. They had confidence, however. The older one slashed straight at Kumamon, an old tatic he knew. The weak link, the smallest warrrior. Unluckly for him, Kumamon wasn't the weakest.

"SNOW BOMBER!" As Kumamon raised his gun, the rapid fire - or should I say, rapid ice? - threw the tall digimon back, but he wasn't knocked down. The sword clattered to the ground.

"You little..." he muttured, and then a orange-ish glow formed in his palm, and his darted between his five targets. Terramon and Ivymon were battling his partner, but Kazemon, Blitzmon and Kumamon were waiting for his next move.

Blitzmon fell back, when the orb slammed into his stomach. "Oof!" the air left his lungs, leaving him on the ground.

"Roseo Temporale!" Kazemon's kick was strong, and when the Digimon realized he was on the grassy forest floor, anger surged through him.

"It's time we show the Chosen Children why you don't mess with the Reymon!" The younger digimon growled, as he parried another stroke from Terramon's spear.

The older Reymon smirked, "Right you are." The ground began to shake, and then both exchanged glances for two seconds. The sun set. The ground still shook, waiting for the Reymon to make their move. "**GAEAMON'S REVENGE!" **The ground stopped it's rumbling, as the children felt the ground open up from under their feet. As they fell, they heard the shouts of two other children:

"NO!"

The older Reymon turned, "Ah, you wish to join them, young Prophets?" as he survied them, he asked no one in particular, "Where is the third?" he sighs, and the ground opens up once again.

The younger Reymon smirked, and chuckled, "It's time they meet what the Earth has in store for them." As he watched them fall, he suddenly felt a presence behind him, and barely blocked the two blood red swords.

"You!" Duskmon growls, taking his second sword to block the older Reymon's blade. "You know that Cherubimon has ordered that you do not attack, and yet here you are!"

The older Reymon shrugged, casually holding Duskmon off, "We saw that you could not do your duty, because of your _limitations_, and decided to take care of it ourselves."

Duskmon had a red blush across his face. He knew what his limits were, but who were the Reymon to blame THAT for the Chosen Children still being alive! "Hmph, and what a fine job you did of that!" he pointed to the two giant holes in the ground. "Easily survivable fall!"

The younger Reymon arched his eyebrow, "For a digimon? Yes. For a human, HA! It'll break every bone in their body and snap their necks!"

Duskmon gave them an evil glare, "THEY'RE PART DIGIMON, YOU TWIT!"

It was within two seconds that things got complicated. Suloamon rushed at all three, slashing, and growling, "Where are the humans?"

"You're too late," the older Reymon informed her, "Besides, they won't live much longer."

"DAMN YOU, REYMON!" she exclaims, "Those were my sacrafices!"

The younger Reymon snorted, "HA! Like that old Prophecy says? You're a crazy bat!" he pulled his javelion off the ground, and swung straight at Suloamon.

"Hmph! I still have one..." she muttered, and began running back towards the caves.

"RUN YOU COWARD!"

"Hey, where's Duskmon?"

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes late, Suloamon charged back underground. She began dragging Kouji, trying to get the boy up, "Wake up!" she hissed, once again.<p>

Kouji moaned, "Wha- Huh?" he looks up, and sees Suloamon again, "Well, what do you want?"

"You are my sacrafice, and maybe that will keep Gaeamon alseep. The blood of a human." Suloamon pulled Kouji to the cave entrance, and said nothing for a breif moment.

"What are you waiting for?" Kouji asks, eyeing her claws.

"I'm supposed to kill you the second the light hits your heart, because that's your element. It would be the same with any Warrior." Suloamon explained. "They always said Light would be the best..."

"Wha- Why me?"

"Because you are the one that the Dark targets, so the rampage that the Darkness Warrior will surely go on will hopefully appease Her." Suloamon looked at the sky, "We have a while to wait then, Warrior." she put her clawed foot on his chest, "Not that you're going anywhere."

Kouji struggled, writhed, and gave up. "I don't want to die..." he muttered to himself, not knowing that something was about to save his life.

* * *

><p>After an hour, Suloamon had gotten bored. She slashed at the Pipsmon that inhabited the cave, screaming "GET OUT!"<p>

"Get out! GET OUT!" they mocked, flying away quickly.

"Damn pests." Suloamon muttered.

Kouji looked up at his captor. He had to admit to himself, she was pretty. With long black hair that reached the ground, bright blue eyes, and a bushy tail, Suloamon had this aura of "Respect me, or die!"

More Pipsmon flew out, all screaming, "IT'S COMING!" Light filled the whole cave, and they all suddenly knew what 'it' was: The Beast Spirit of Light. The Spirit - not having a form yet - glided it's way over to Kouji, as if to dare him, "Take me." Kouji gulped, and grabbed his D-Scanner.

"SPRIT EVOLUTION!"

Garummon flew straight at Suloamon, "Now, what was that about a sacrafice!?" he growled. "_MORNING STAR!"_

Suloamon barely dodged the light that almost took her out. "You're strong, I shall admit. And, perhaps you aren't the best Warrior to use after all..." she looked at the ground, and it suddenly opened under her feet. "If you want to rescue the Earth Warrior, follow. If you want to live, stay here." So, Suloamon began to descend into the earth, jumping around from ledge to ledge, ready to find her next target.

"The chase is on, Suloamon." Garummon growled, but then looked at himself, "Er, maybe I should change forms first..."

"Slide Evolution, Lobomon!"

* * *

><p>Duskmon entered the cave as soon as Lobomon disappeared into the ground. "Should I follow...?" he asks himself, and then looks at the Pipismon, and randomly asks them, "What do you think?"<p>

The Pipismon tilted their heads, as if they didn't understand.

Duskmon chuckled, "I am slipping. I'm talking to Pipismon!" he shook his head, and turned towards the hole, "I better follow."

"Follow." the Pipismon mock.

Duskmon looked back at them, "That's your answer? You're saying I should follow them?"

"Follow them, Warrior of Darkness. It will make you whole again," Though Duskmon couldn't hear the next two words, they were still said, "Once-Human."

**_ANNDD, we're back to the twelve page format. I like tweleve pages. It's not too long, so you don't get bored reading it, but it's not so short you read it with one glance. Well, review please~_**

_**Primary Village is a special place, but can Liri and Tomoki make it out with their heads attached? Find out, on the next As The World Ends!**_

_**Tomoki:... Just a thought, how many of the fans out there ship me and Liri?**_  
><em><strong>Me: *Raises hand*<strong>_


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